Impulsivity
by beth51276
Summary: Over three years since The End. Natalie is engaged to Lt. Albright and Monk is determined to stop the wedding. Highly intense Monk/Natalie pairing. A couple of chapters may be for more mature audiences.
1. Chapter 1: An Ace in His Pocket

Impulsivity

Chapter 1: An Ace in His Pocket

"How can you do this to me now, Adrian? Get out of here! I don't know what I'm going to do, but as of right now, I have to take a break. I don't know if I can continue to be your assistant." Natalie practically shoved him out the door, and then slammed it.

Adrian Monk stared at the ceiling while he laid in the middle of his bed. He had never been subject to an argument such as he had had with a woman as he had with his loyal assistant. Not that he had never argued with Trudy, but Trudy was so gentle and he had never quite overcome the miracle that she had chosen him. He never wanted to disappoint her, and so he saw to her happiness with the same diligence he gave to his career as a homicide detective. He catered to her in every way, except one. He never gave her a child. Then she was gone forever.

It had been over three years since he had discovered the reality of his beloved wife's death. If he had known the reason why she pressed him about a baby; if he had known she was a mother who had never recovered from what she believed was the death of her child. "If" had turned out to be the story of his life.

The argument with Natalie had ended with him hearing her sobs as he walked away towards his car. Adrian Monk had changed in many ways since solving Trudy's murder. He was on his way to making quite a bit of money because he could now take a few high profile cases out of state. He still preferred Natalie to do most of the driving when it came to his consultant work because he preferred to focus all of his attention on the case, but he had purchased a car after meeting Trudy's daughter. He had found Molly Evans and had a wonderful friendship with her. Having a car had made it easy for him to see her. He had even attended some film festivals with her. But Molly wasn't a little girl; she had had a father, and it wasn't him.

Everything had started innocently enough. It was chicken pot pie night. He no longer cared about exact amounts of chicken, potatoes, and vegetables, but he found comfort in routine. It had all started when he had gathered his courage to say what had been on his mind for the past six months.

"Don't marry him, Natalie. Don't marry Lieutenant Albright."

Six months ago, Lieutenant Steven Albright had asked Natalie to marry him and she had accepted. Oh, Adrian had nothing against the man. He had helped save his life, and save Natalie's life on more than one occasion. It wasn't as though Albright had committed any crime. On second thought, he had done something wrong. He had laid his claim to Natalie and Adrian was slowly coming to realize that he couldn't abide the thought of it.

Monk had begun to come fully alive in the wake of Albright's proposal. This time the changes were more than pullovers, the confidence in his walk, and no longer feeling compelled to touch each parking meter as he passed by. Every shared kiss and pat between Natalie and the Navy doctor made him crazy.

It had been this week that he had planned to make his case to Natalie. He started by calling Leland for advice. Most people thought Monk wasn't just his name, but it was pretty much the way he had lived his life. They knew he had been married, but figured he had engaged in stilted, ritual marital rites in the pitch black of night, underneath several blankets. On top of that, they thought he hadn't done that very often, either. The only person who didn't labor under that delusion was Captain Stottlemeyer. Adrian smiled indulgently because nothing could have been further from the truth.

1989

Adrian was shy, awkward, and he couldn't believe Trudy had chosen him. But he had a secret ace in his pocket that not even Trudy knew about, at least until the night she agreed to marry him. The gift and the curse had worked to his advantage. He was absolutely inexperienced in every way except for kissing, and Trudy had been the first woman he had ever kissed. Not having a social life meant one read...a lot. There was no satellite television and World Wide Web at one's fingertips to keep a social misfit occupied.

Adrian read nearly everything he could get his hands on. A true polymath in every sense of the word, he could find educational value in almost every subject. He put his avid reading to use in his intimate life with his wife. By the time Trudy had agreed to marry him, he had gained a small measure of confidence and more than a little knowledge. He knew there had been a couple of others for the woman he wanted to marry, but Monk had planned the night of their engagement to the last detail.

Their first night together was gentle and tentative, but both managed to find joyful satisfaction in their first sexual encounter. This was to be expected. The weeks that followed had shocked his soon-to-be-wife to her core. Adrian Monk's powers of observation did not only extend to investigating crime scenes. The first few times they had made love, he had studied Trudy's reaction to every kiss, to every touch. He explored every inch of her body and committed each response to memory. He soon figured out what excited her, what pleased her, and what would make her almost delirious in his arms. Then he started combining those moves in a way that made her previous experience seem as though she had taken the veil. Nearly three weeks after they were engaged, they were getting ready to leave for an evening out.

"Adrian, we are never going anywhere if you don't stop looking at me that way." Trudy fastened her diamond bracelet as she stared at her fiancé's reflection in the mirror.

Adrian crossed the room in only two strides and crashed his lips down to hers, as he pressed the length of his body against hers. "I don't care," he growled softly. "All I care about is being with you." Trudy had nearly been inclined to agree as she started to unbutton Adrian's shirt. His hands then encircled her wrists and he smiled at her.

"On second thought, being forced into proper behavior in public will make things that much better when we return."

Trudy nearly whimpered in protest. He was good at doing that to her, and it was frustrating, but he always made it up to her, in the best way possible. Not to mention the fact that Adrian was never wrong. It did make things that much better once they were finally alone. But it didn't stop her from checking the mirror before they left. There were times that she thought the marvelous things Adrian did to her in the bedroom must certainly show on her face when she entered the room on his arm.

Present Day

The world at large never knew the man Randy Disher had once labeled as the "defective detective" had gleefully christened every room of every residence he had shared with his beloved late wife and he never needed any wipes beforehand. (The fact that he had cleaned there the day before was sufficient in those days.)

Ah, wipes...Adrian never used those anymore. Rickover had proven to him that even those things could be more toxic than shaking the hand of a former leper. He did carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in his pocket, though. But he rarely used it for small things like shaking someone's hands.

There would be no sleep for Adrian Monk tonight. Especially not after the most impulsive sexual encounter of his entire life.


	2. Chapter 2: Change Her Mind?

Chapter 2: Change Her Mind?

Three days earlier...

"Monk, this had better be good news about the Kimble investigation, because TK is due any day," growled Leland Stottlemeyer as he entered Apartment 2G.

"Here's the thing, Leland...this isn't about the investigation at all, this is a personal matter," as Adrian nervously paced around in his own apartment.

"Alright, Monk. You have my attention." Stottlemeyer plopped down on the sofa. TK's surprise pregnancy had been high risk because of her age, and Leland had been worried to the point of exhaustion.

As Monk passed around, he started to talk about his predicament. "Natalie is marrying Lieutenant Albright when Julie comes home from Berkeley in two months. I wanted to try and..." At this, he looked at Leland meaningfully and finished with "and you know."

"Know what, Monk? You don't know what to give the happy couple? Or how about a date? You need a date to the wedding!" Stottlemeyer knew that Natalie and her parents had given in. The Davenports approved of Steven (He was after all, a doctor, even if he was Navy like Mitch Teeger) and Natalie had agreed to a wedding with all the trimmings. It wasn't easy for Natalie to put up with Peggy's takeover of the entire planning.

Monk's face went blank with incomprehension. "A date? No. I mean, you know...stop the wedding."

"Stop the wedding? What the hell, Monk?" Stottlemeyer took the toothpick out of his mouth and dropped it right on Monk's coffee table. "She's been seeing Albright for over 3 years."

"Yes, but here's the thing. She'll marry him, and he's up for retirement. He'll open a private practice..." Adrian trailed off and stared helplessly at Stottlemeyer.

"You want to stop the wedding because you think Natalie might quit? She'll become a doctor's wife, and won't need to be Adrian Monk's partner anymore? You want to stop her wedding to Albright because you think you still need Natalie? That's the most selfish thing I've ever heard out of your mouth since you went to go badger Inspector #8!"

Adrian paced even more rapidly, "Yes, it's selfish! Every time I think of her marrying Albright, I start to panic. She'll leave me. I already come unglued every time I see the Golden Boy touch her as it is!" Monk gasped, as he realized what he just said.

Stottlemeyer stared at his best friend of 25 years. "So that's what it is. You finally see her as a woman. Did you think she was going to wait forever?"

Monk stopped dead in his tracks. "You mean as in wait for...me?"

Leland sighed heavily, "You never saw her when she thought you were dead, Monk. She cried for days until she finally saw that newspaper article that blew your cover. She was inconsolable. You hadn't solved Trudy's murder, and so there was just no way you were going to see what was right in front of your face. After Rickover killed himself, I thought that perhaps you might begin to see her in a different way, but she was already seeing Albright."

"So there's a chance she might change her mind?"

"Change her mind?" Stottlemeyer snorted. "Sometimes you really piss me off, Monk. You were busy wallowing in your grief all those years and you thought of no one but yourself. You weren't even thinking of Trudy. Trudy wouldn't have wanted you to live the way you were living, even if you had never figured it out about Rickover. But you were just paralyzed...couldn't see this classy, spunky, and gorgeous woman right in front of you who was waiting for you to notice her. If you waltz in and tell her you don't want her to marry Albright, you better damned well be ready to tell her why. No bullshit about her quitting because Albright opens up a swanky private practice. Monk, she might get really pissed at you. I think I might in her situation, but I'm not as kind and patient as Natalie."

Monk sat down in his chair. "She might marry him, anyway."

Stottlemeyer rose from the sofa and clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "She might, but then, she might not. She might still love you, Monk. I'm glad I met TK because if I hadn't...God, I would really resent you, Monk. I spent 20 years married to a flake who wanted me to be something other than who I was. Then I nearly proposed to a money-hungry murderess. You've had two beautiful women madly in love with you. I know you better than anyone else, Monk. I knew you before Trudy was murdered, so I know what a happy Adrian Monk looks like. I also know what a joke your name is, too. Maybe it's time that a woman besides Trudy finds out."

Monk blushed. He was never going to live down being caught with Trudy in his office during a Christmas party. He was only grateful it was just Stottlemeyer. Not to mention all the times Stottlemeyer had called in the middle of the night about a crime scene just to hear him struggle to catch his breath that left no question as to just what he had been up to.

"One more thing, Monk. You better brush up on your self-defense. Albright is military and 10 years your junior. If you succeed in claiming Natalie, he might just want a piece of you."

Monk sat in his chair awhile, alone. Then he went to bed. He didn't even realize the Captain had dropped a used toothpick on his coffee table until the next day.


	3. Chapter 3: I'll Never Get Enough of You

**This chapter is definitely for more mature audiences. Intense sexual encounter alert! Squeamish? Don't read past the break!**

Chapter 3: I'll Never Get Enough of You

Natalie Teeger hadn't cried so much since she had thought Mr. Monk was dead all those years ago. No, not Mr. Monk. Not ever again. Not after last night. The only thing she was grateful for was the fact that Steven was away and Julie was at Berkeley. Especially Julie. She would know immediately that something was wrong with her mother.

She was furious at Adrian. Everything had been going right. Adrian had recovered so much since solving Trudy's murder case. She was making a lot more money now because they were doing consult work other than in San Francisco. As a result, her boss of eight years wasn't so stingy and had really loosened the purse strings. Julie was thriving at Berkeley, and Steven had proposed to her.

She started to cry harder as she thought of Steven. She hadn't thought of him last night...not after Adrian had made it clear he was going to take her to bed and spend the entire night making love to her more intensely than any man ever had. What kind of woman was she? Why hadn't she stopped it? The answer was simple. She couldn't have stopped it. She had wanted it too damned much, and had wanted it for years. She looked at her blotchy face in the bathroom mirror. Her eyes were red, and thank God no one else could see her now. Her cheeks and neck were red, practically raw. The worst part was that she had gloried in it. How many times had she stared at Adrian's perpetual 5 o'clock shadow on that jawline and thought of what it would feel like against her face as he made love to her? Her imagination hadn't even approached the reality. In fact, she had never experienced anything close to what they had shared last night.

It had started out so normally. Routine. It was chicken pot pie night. They had returned from Sacramento the week before and solved a case at the behest of the governor. This was a relative windfall case because it was a special request from the man whom Adrian had saved when Rollins framed him all those years ago. But for all of Adrian's strides in conquering his phobias, he still cherished routine, so they were at her house for chicken pot pie as usual.

They had finished eating and were cleaning up the dishes. After they had finished up, they headed to the couch. They planned to watch one of the independent films that Molly had written a favorable review on several months ago. But Adrian hadn't even touched the remote control. He looked nervous.

Natalie smiled affectionately at him. "What's the matter, boss? Did Molly warn you about some brief nudity and now you're having second thoughts?"

Adrian looked at her and his eyes were almost black with intent. "I need to talk to you, Natalie. I have done a lot of thinking and I have to tell you something while there's still time."

His face was so serious that she thought something was terribly wrong. A pit formed in her stomach as worst-case scenarios ran through her head. Was he ill?

As it turned out, something was wrong. Nothing could have prepared her for the next thing out of Adrian Monk's mouth.

"Don't marry him, Natalie. Don't marry Lieutenant Albright."

Natalie started to laugh. "Are you afraid I'm giving to leave you, Mr. Monk? It's been eight years, I've been with you longer than Sharona."

Adrian swallowed hard. "No, that's not it."

Realizing that he was serious, she backed away from him on the sofa and stared at him. "You're serious, Mr. Monk?"

"Completely."

Normally not a nervous person, Natalie started to wring her hands. "What is this about, Mr. Monk? Is there something I should know about Steven?"

Shaking his head in frustration, Adrian said, "Here's the thing. I don't want you to marry him. I need to tell you before it's too late. I don't want you to be with another man."

Natalie stared at him, dumbfounded. "That's not an answer, Mr. Monk. I've been seeing Steven for over three years. He saved our lives on that submarine, remember?"

"There's nothing WRONG with him, Natalie. He's...a nice man. I just don't want him married to you."

Blue eyes blazing, Natalie snapped. "You're starting to make me mad."

Adrian looked at her pleadingly. "That's not my intent. I just want you to be happy. But I want to be happy, too. I think I might have some feelings towards you."

"You want me to call off an engagement to a dear man, a man that I love, because you THINK you might have some feelings towards me?"

"Natalie, here's the thing..."

Natalie jumped up from the couch and started pacing. "No, there is no thing! I've been with you day and night for eight years, Mr. Monk! I loved you for years! When I thought you were dead, I knew I loved you. You want to know why? It was because I felt exactly the same way I felt when Mitch died."

She started to cry, and her voice shook as she went on. "But I knew it was always Trudy for you. It always has been! It's been over three years since you solved her murder. I held Steven at bay because I thought you might finally see that I loved you and feel something in return. But it never happened."

"It did happen. When you accepted his proposal..."

"This is because I agreed to marry him, Mr. Monk? You're afraid I'm going to leave you. He's going to go into private practice once he retires and you think I won't want to work with you anymore. You would rather me live alone, like you, Mr. Monk? When there's someone real, someone who doesn't compare every woman he meets to his dead wife and finds her wanting!"

Now Adrian began to get angry, "Natalie, that's not true! You're beautiful and brave, and your smile has been the only light in my life these past eight years! I loved my wife very much. That's a given. But you are Natalie, and I love you for being Natalie!"

Natalie put her face in her hands. "I won't count the first five years because I know you felt you couldn't move forward until you had solved Trudy's murder. But it's taken you over three years to say the word "love". What's it going to take? Another three years for a kiss? What about making love? Another three years for that? How long is it going to take?"

At her taunting, Adrian leapt to his feet. He was angry now. "Is that what you think? Like everyone else? That I'm not...a man? I can't think about him touching you without coming apart at the seams, Natalie!" He moved closer to Natalie and his eyes swept over her body before his eyes locked with hers.

At this one look, Natalie's anger melted away and she felt her breath catch because there was no mistaking the look in his eyes as they swept down her body. He closed the gap between them, never removing his eyes from hers.

Adrian Monk still favored blazers, but this one was charcoal gray instead of murky brown. Gone were the mundane shirts buttoned up to his chin. He didn't even know who inspected his clothing anymore. Instead he wore a dark blue pullover under his open blazer.

He removed his blazer and tossed it in the general direction of Natalie's couch. Adrian didn't even notice it was on the floor and he didn't care. At 53, he ran every morning to stay in shape and it showed.

Natalie started to tremble at the significance of this gesture. All she could think about was this man in front of her. She gasped as he pulled her body to his and his lips met hers in a searing kiss. Her entire body started to spasm as she locked her arms around him. His strength surprised her as he practically crushed his body to hers. He broke the kiss and the glint in his eyes would have made anyone else think he had solved a murder case. Natalie had never seen this look before, but she knew the intense desire it revealed.

"Oh my God," she whispered.

He smiled a seductive smile she had never seen before and whispered, "No, it's just me. But I want you to find out what no other woman alive knows."

At this, he swept her off her feet and carried her to her bedroom.

* * *

**Here's the bedroom scene! **

Adrian laid Natalie on the bed and their eyes met in the dim light of her room. No more words or hesitation as their lips fused together. They laid on the bed, desperately kissing and running their hands everywhere they could. But it wasn't enough.

Breaking the kiss, Adrian sat up and brought them to their feet. As his hands went to the buttons on her blouse she started to shake with anticipation. She started to reach for his clothes, but he pushed her hands back. "No, let me do this."

Nodding in assent, Adrian continued undressing her and whispered, "I want to look at you. I have imagined seeing you this way so many times. My beautiful Natalie..."

Natalie was not normally self-conscious about her body, but she was being undressed by a man who noticed everything and never forgot anything. She started to shake in anticipation as soft fingertips met bare skin.

Adrian circled Natalie's trim, lovely figure. She was beautiful as her soft blonde hair fell around her jawline. There was no going back as he circled back and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Natalie. I want to spend all night showing you just how much."

Natalie finally started to reach for his clothes. She whispered, "I want to see you too." She undressed him until they were both standing in front of her bed. Staring into his eyes, she said, "I love you, Adrian." She had never called him Adrian (except for that one time when Sharona was visiting) because at first, it was her professional respect for him. Later on, she feared how much it would reveal of her feelings were she to use his first name. She knew she had dreamed of whispering it in his ear in this very room.

Using his first name had the desired effect because Adrian's control broke as he pulled her closely to him. Both gasped at the sensation of bare skin as their lips united. Then without breaking the kiss, Adrian lifted Natalie up and laid her on the bed, pressing her into the mattress.

It had been over 15 years since he had been intimate with a woman. It was almost beastly how he wanted to just swiftly take her and sate desires that had been tightly locked down for so long. But even as he stared in awe at her soft, luminous skin and heard her whisper her love for him, he wanted her to want him as much as he wanted her. He also knew that he wanted her to choose him, believe in his love for her. Slowly, methodically the brilliant detective started to explore her body with both fingers and lips.

Natalie had never expected this...her boss exploring every inch of her body. God, he knew what she wanted. At first, she had wanted to actively participate, but he looked at her and shook his head. "I want to please you. I have to know what pleases you." At first, it was unbelievable to know Adrian was cataloging every response and as her first climax shook her body, she thought it couldn't get any better.

Then he started to take his newly gathered knowledge and combine movements and touches and she thought she was going to drown. Her second orgasm hit her as she arched her back and cried out his name. She hadn't even come close to calming down before he positioned himself and took her palm into his hand and kissed it. Adrian kissed her eyes and cheeks and lips softly, and then he whispered, "I'll never get enough of you. I'll never be able to get close enough. But I want to spend forever trying."

At the first thrust, both of them groaned at this new intimacy. Natalie could no longer stay still, her body was screaming to respond. So as he started to move, she started to meet his thrusts, clamping around him as she did so. He groaned even louder, "God, Natalie. Oh God..." They had waited too long because of his insistence on extensive foreplay. He could no longer hold himself back and thrust madly until both of them came together furiously. They held each other tightly in a feverish embrace as they shuddered together, whispering words of love.

Adrian refused to let her go. He had started to live again, and it wasn't even midnight.

**I don't think I've ever written a bedroom scene this intense.**


	4. Chapter 4: Crashing Down to Earth

Chapter 4: Crashing Down to Earth

He didn't lie. Natalie knew Monk was a terrible liar, anyway. Even when she knew he required a break, he didn't stop touching her, caressing her, speaking to her in a low, beautiful voice. He knew how much it drove her crazy, his stubble scraping her shoulder as he languidly kissed her neck. He would ask her where she wanted him to touch her next, kiss her next. Tell her how soft and beautiful her skin was to him as he stroked the sensitive skin between her thighs with feathery touches. It was maddening, and no other man had ever talked to her in bed the way he did.

Men tend to be visual creatures, Adrian Monk was no exception. That was one of his greatest talents. Most men don't recognize how arousing auditory stimulation is. Women generally don't like silence, punctuated with occasional grunts and heavy breathing. How Adrian Monk of all people, knew that to be true, was beyond her comprehension. It was...perfect, this combination of sensuality and raw desire. Soft and sweet when it needed to be, but he also knew when she wanted the urgency and violence.

As the darkness began to fade, they were finally exhausted and laid facing each other amid sheets that were twisted at the foot of the bed. Still, sleep eluded them both as he traced the contours of her face, softly smiling at her.

Adrian took Natalie's left hand and kissed her fingertips. Then he said the words that began to break the spell that had enveloped them both since he tossed his jacket across the room.

"This is what it means when you say, 'with my body, I thee worship'."

Natalie's breath caught as she looked at the ring on her left hand. Then she jumped up from the bed, grabbing her robe and throwing it on. She started to cry in gulping sobs. Adrian leapt to his feet and tried to take her in her arms. "What's the matter?"

She jerked away from his touch and glared at him. "What's the matter? I'm engaged. I have agreed to marry another man, Adrian. Now you sweep in here and I don't know what to do. I, I don't know what the solution is."

His confidence infuriated her as he simply said, "That's the easy part. Break things off with Albright."

"And that is what started this whole thing to begin with, Adrian! You told me to break things off with Steven and then you used your newfound knowledge of the love I had held back to seduce me into cheating on my fiancé!"

"Which is exactly why you can't marry him, Natalie! You love me. You wanted to be with me. You wanted this," Adrian gestured at the rumpled bed, "as much as I did."

"And you think it's easy for me to just break things off with Steven, leave him behind and just pick YOU?"

"Why not, Natalie? You told me yourself that you agreed to marry him only after waiting three years to see if I would come to you."

Natalie threw up her hands in frustration. "This, Adrian Monk, is why you can be the most arrogant, infuriating bastard I have ever known! A large part of you still expects the entire world to make things even and straight for you so you can function! You failed to realize that I also accepted him because I came to love him. Now I have betrayed him. I jumped into bed with my boss, cheated on a man I have promised to marry. God, I never knew I could be such a slut..."

This time it was Adrian's turn to be angry. "Is THAT what you think of what we did," he shouted. His eyes flashed with fury. "I don't want to hear you talk about yourself that way, Natalie. You want to take the beautiful night we shared and make it something cheap and meaningless. I have my issues, and I was too scared to make my intentions known a long time ago. Perhaps if you had been more forthcoming in the first place after I solved Trudy's murder, we might already be married!"

"Oh no, don't put this all on me, Adrian! I was in a terrible situation. If I had said something and you didn't feel the same way, it could have ruined our friendship, and our professional relationship. I had every reason to believe that after you solved Trudy's murder, the status quo would remain. You would never be 'fixed' but I knew you weren't so broken anymore. I had no idea you could even entertain the thought of a relationship with any woman, let alone me."

"That's where you're wrong, Natalie. You brought me to life in a way that no one else could, even before I found out about Rickover. I want you. I love you. You are my answer!" With this, he drew her into his arms and began to kiss her fervently, caressing her cheeks.

Natalie instinctively met his embrace and for a sweet moment, she was with him as her mouth opened to meet his. Then as his hands started to untie her robe, she pushed him away again.

"I can't think straight when you do that to me," she screamed. "Who knew that Adrian Monk could be the best lover in the world? When I used to dream of us being intimate, it was always sweet, gentle."

"Restrained," Adrian finished.

"Yes! I'm ashamed I even thought that of you, and you've released me of any notions I might have held in the past. But it still doesn't tell me what I should do."

"I can be your answer." Adrian sat down on the edge of her bed, drawing a blanket around him.

"What about Steven? I always hated Navy wives who would step out on their husbands while their husbands were deployed."

Adrian shrugged one shoulder and said, "He isn't your husband. Does he make you feel...this way?"

Natalie immediately said, "I love being with him. Steven is..."

He abruptly cut her off, "That isn't an answer."

"I made a commitment to him."

"That's not an answer. Does Lieutenant Albright make you feel the way I made you feel last night?"

"No," she quietly sobbed. "But sex isn't everything."

"I wasn't only talking about sex, Natalie."

Natalie's fists clenched at her side, "I am so angry at you! I can't think straight. How can I face him? How can I face my parents? They're planning a beautiful wedding, the one they never got to..."

Adrian chuckled, "Since when has Natalie Teeger cared about what Peggy Davenport has thought about her choices in men?"

"I'm being lectured about this by a man who was excited for his father to finally show up when he was 47 years old and taught him how to ride a bike?"

Natalie straightened her back and looked him dead in the eyes. "You have to leave. I have to think. It doesn't matter what I do. Either way, I'm a bitch."

"What?"

"You heard me. How about I pretend this never happened and marry Steven anyway, without telling him what I have done? That's not fair to him. If I tell him, our engagement is over. I tell him I'm in love with you and can't marry him; that means I break his heart. There's no way someone doesn't get hurt. Either I hurt you, or I hurt him, and by hurting either of you, I hurt myself. If I choose him, I lose the best job I have ever had, and you know why."

Adrian looked at her and realized the complexity of her situation. Empathy had never been a strong suit of his, but this was Natalie and she was torn and hurting. But he still had to ask, "Are you in love with me?"

"I've never stopped. But life is complicated."

"Not that complicated. Don't marry him, Natalie!"

Eyes blazing again at his audacity, Natalie snapped. "How can you do this to me now, Adrian? Get out of here! I don't know what I'm going to do, but as of right now, I have to take a break. I don't know if I can continue to be your assistant."

She picked up his clothing and shoved it at him, and he hastily began to dress.

"Natalie, I..."

"Not another word!" She grabbed his jacket off the floor and thrust it at him.

Natalie practically shoved him out the door, and then slammed it.

Adrian stood on her front porch for a moment and began to hear her sobbing. He wanted to turn around and go back, but then he heard the deadbolt lock insistently in place. So he turned around and walked to his car. He was the lone witness to the tears that began to well up in his eyes as he started to drive away. He had hurt the only other woman he had ever loved, and it was his fault.


	5. Chapter 5: When You Can't Concentrate

Chapter 5: When You Can't Concentrate

Adrian Monk was like a skilled surgeon. He had the ability to shut off the rest of the world as he examined a crime scene. Today was not one of those days. But it wasn't OCD traits that hampered him today.

A haggard Captain Stottlemeyer was surprised to see Monk pull up in his own car to the latest crime scene. That almost never happened. "Where's Natalie?"

Monk awkwardly rolled his left shoulder and said, "She's off today."

The captain knew he was looking at a man who hadn't slept all night, but there was business to tend to. "The victim is a 24 year old female by the name of Madison Taylor. Blunt force trauma to the head is the apparent cause of death."

Monk tilted his head and looked around the body of the dead woman. But as he held his fingers aloft, all he could see was the cropped blonde hair that curled around the woman's cheek.

His mind was thrown away from the reality before him, and instead he thought about how he had savored the silky feel of Natalie's blonde hair as it curled next to her cheek. It had smelled like lavender and vanilla as his lips had traveled from behind her ear down her neckline. She was crying his name as he had brought her hips to meet his again and again before she...

"Monk!"

Adrian was rudely brought back to the present by Stottlemeyer. "You've been standing there for five minutes and haven't moved or said a word."

"I'm sorry Captain. I blanked for a moment."

Leland grumbled and walked back towards his car and grabbed his phone. He dialed Natalie and it rang four times before she finally answered. She had obviously been asleep.

"What is it, Captain?"

"It's Monk. There's a crime scene down here and he's not himself. He's blanking out instead of observing. I need you to come down here."

"I can't do that, Captain. I...I'm not feeling very good."

"I know a lie when I hear it, Natalie. You're paid by the case, just like Monk is, and you need to come down here, now. My best detective is not on his game and he needs you here."

Natalie sighed. "Text me the location, Captain." Then she hung up.

The captain walked back over to the scene and said, "Natalie's on her way."

Monk flinched at that and almost shouted, "Why did you do that? I said she was off."

"No, she's on. You're not yourself today and I need you to focus."

"No, no...it's fine, Captain. There's something wrong with this picture. She didn't die here."

Natalie arrived a short time later and climbed out of her car. She had put on makeup, but it couldn't hide the dark circles under her eyes. "Where is he, Captain?"

"He's in the kitchen. He's seeing some things, but they're not registering completely. The victim was found in the living room, but Monk says she didn't die here."

Natalie took a deep breath and walked towards the kitchen. She saw him standing there with his back to her in his familiar pose. She had always loved seeing him that way, and even as conflicted as she was, his stance made her heart turn over.

"Adrian," she called softly.

At this, Stottlemeyer's head jerked up. She never called him by his first name. "_Only my wife calling me to tell me she's in labor could drag me away from this scene,_" he thought.

Adrian turned around at the sound of Natalie's voice. He thought it was his imagination, but she was real. Their eyes met and Adrian desperately tried to project his love for her from across the room.

Leland turned away from this, knowing that it was a very private thing. But it confirmed his initial suspicions. Monk had found his voice, and something had happened between them.

Natalie's breath nearly caught with the look he was giving her, but she remembered they weren't alone. "The captain told me I was needed here, so here I am."

Monk cleared his throat. At the sight of Natalie, he was able to concentrate and he thought for a moment. Then The Smile. "The victim didn't die in the living room. She died in the kitchen. Here's what happened."

"Madison Taylor had an autoimmune disease, a serious one. In the front entry way is a cane that you can fold. Why would a 24 year old woman need a cane? Then I noticed the bookshelves. There were fiction books, but also college textbooks. She's a med student, planning to specialize in rheumatology. There's peer-reviewed research and on the side table, next to the lamp is "Ankylosing Spondylitis" by Dr. Michael H. Weisman.

He walked over to the kitchen and pointed to a red jug on the kitchen counter. It's a sharps container. Then he stepped over to the trash and stepped on the pedal to open. "Look- there's alcohol wipes. Captain, you're wearing gloves. If you could walk over to the refrigerator."

Stottlemeyer walked over to the refrigerator door and opened the door and found a box of Enbrel. "Madison Taylor had Ankylosing Spondylitis. That's why she had a cane, and why many of the medical books focused on that particular disease. There was something wrong with the placement of the body. She had a small bump on the side of her head. Why would she have a bump on the side of her head if she fell face first on the living room floor? There was no sign of a struggle. She was on Enbrel injections. She gave herself her weekly injection, but there wasn't Enbrel in the syringe. She was poisoned and died almost immediately. When she fell, she bumped the side of her head on the kitchen counter. Her killer then moved her body and placed her face down, and then gave her the blow at the back of her head."

Natalie couldn't help but smile. There was no one else in the world like him.

"Have the M.E. look for poison, Captain. Then we'll find out who and why. But that's how it happened."

Stottlemeyer said, "Thank you, Monk."

Then the Captain walked over to Natalie. "I don't think he's slept in two days. I think you should drive him home. I'll have White over there follow us and I'll drive Monk's car."

Natalie only nodded. If she refused, she would just raise suspicions.

The only problem was that the Captain was already suspicious. He wasn't the detective that Monk was, not by a long shot. But for all of Natalie's efforts with her makeup, she couldn't completely camouflage the redness at her jawline and neck. Whatever had gone down between Monk and Natalie, it had been hotter than the infamous Christmas party incident.

Stottlemeyer followed them back to the apartment in Monk's car. As Monk started towards the door, Leland stopped Natalie. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder and said, "Make sure he rests. Take care of him."

Leland's eyes couldn't stop from traveling down to her neckline, and Natalie began to blush furiously. It was even more obvious in broad daylight than it had been in Madison Taylor's apartment. As Leland started to say something, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him in warning.

Stottlemeyer looked apologetic, but then he looked her straight in the eyes. His distinctive bass voice was gentle as he said, "Only this, Natalie. Once that man loves, it's forever."

Natalie quickly turned to follow Adrian into his apartment before she completely lost her composure.

She would not be able to settle things with Adrian until she faced him, and hiding out in her house was not going to help. She was going to have to face her love and desire for him and make a decision. If she didn't, she knew that she was only running away, and it would hurt everyone in the long term.

Did he really love her the way he had loved his late wife? Here they were in the home he had shared with her before she died. Their eyes met and she felt the intense attraction she had almost always felt towards him. Steven was chiseled and gorgeous, better looking than most movie stars. But he didn't have those black eyes that shimmered when they looked at her as he was looking at her now. For the first time, she noticed his wedding band was gone from his hand. She had been too distracted to notice that it had been gone last night.

Natalie looked at her own left hand, at the simple diamond solitaire Steven had given her. She removed it from her hand and secured it inside her purse. She laid her purse on the table next to the sofa and then walked wordlessly over to Adrian. She took her left hand and placed it over his.

"I love you, Adrian. I haven't made a decision yet, but I can't face my feelings for you while wearing Steven's ring. He's returning in three weeks. I want you to show me what life with you would be like."

He looked at her and said, "You'll thank me later."

Natalie threw her head back and laughed for the first time since last night. That was so...Monk.

But then she had no more time for laughter because Adrian drew her into a tight embrace. He began to kiss her gently, but soon the passion between them blazed and they were breathless as Natalie broke the kiss. "The Captain wanted me to make sure you rest."

He rolled his shoulder with a smirk and said, "We can sleep later." Natalie chuckled and started to kiss him. Without another word, and without hesitation, he took her by the hand, and pulled her towards the bedroom.

**Yes, Natalie is going to carry on with Monk while Steven's gone. But she has to face this, and he has to prove himself to her. It's not like she can break up with him while he's deployed on a submarine. I've never thought of Monk as being someone who was hampered sexually. He didn't want to discuss those things after Trudy's death because of his OCD and phobias running rampant. He's still a very private man, but Natalie is not a stranger, and furthermore, he's in love with her. It's the shy, quiet types you have to watch out for. **


	6. Chapter 6: New Passions

Chapter 6: New Passions

As the sun rose the following morning, Adrian Monk only had one thought. It was the unbelievable joy of waking up with the woman he loved in his arms. He thought it would never happen again, but she was real. The sun shone through the window in her hair and he felt the silk of her skin against his body. Her head rested on his chest as she clung to him, one leg draped over his.

They had made love yesterday afternoon, erasing away some of the harsh words that had been exchanged between them. Afterwards they had fallen asleep in an exhausted heap together and didn't wake up until it was nearly evening. They had made dinner together and sat there talking about things they had never talked about before.

She had pulled one of his pajama shirts out of a drawer and put it on, rolling up the sleeves. Adrian had snagged his bathrobe, but Natalie could see the tangle of black hair on his chest as he didn't wear full pajamas underneath. She nibbled on a cookie from a plate he had made the day before and then it occurred to her that they had actually been intimate in his bed, in Trudy's bed. She commented on it. "I'm a bit surprised that we're doing this here...in your bed."

He smiled and shook his head, "Trudy is turning cartwheels for me right now, Natalie. This is what she would want for me." Reaching out and taking her hand, he reassured her, "There are no ghosts, Natalie. Not in this apartment, in my bed, or in any other bed. I will always love Trudy, but I came to realize what people had told me for years. Death had parted us. Now all I can think of is you."

Natalie gave him a watery smile. "I thought I had lost you once, I was frightened of losing you again when you were poisoned, and then I thought I was never going to have you, not the way I wanted."

"And now?"

"Oh God...we really are baring our souls. Okay, but I don't want you to get a big head over it."

"Some things have changed, Natalie. I'm still me, and still have my quirks. The only time I'm ever really certain of myself is when I know who _the guy _is. Everything else- I have to gather my courage and overcome my fears. The only difference now is that I'm not so paralyzed that I can't overcome them."

She just decided to come out with it and be blunt. "You're the best ever for me, Adrian."

"Best ever?" He cocked his head.

Natalie rolled her eyes and lightly smacked his arm. "Sometimes you still are so innocent. I mean the _best ever_," and she gestured towards the bedroom.

Shaking his head, Adrian said, "What?"

"I have never had a man make me feel the way you do in bed. Add the fact that I've loved you all these years and it's just an unbelievably potent aphrodisiac." She reached across the table and rubbed the back of her hand against his stubble. "You have no idea how many times I've looked at your stubble and fantasized about how it would feel against my face. Which leads me to a serious subject."

Still blushing over the praise and the truth about his stubble, he chuckled, "What now?"

"As much as it pleases me, it's also a problem. I put makeup on this morning and the captain noticed it anyway. He knows, Adrian."

Much to her surprise, he started to laugh. "I'm going to have to shave more. I don't want to make that beautiful face of yours raw. As for the captain, don't worry about him. He won't tell a soul, with the possible exception of TK."

"You really think so?"

"I know so, Natalie. While we're sharing secrets, I'll tell you one that only the captain knows."

Natalie smiled, "You couldn't drag me away from this one. I am all ears."

"Many years ago, while I was married to Trudy, we were at a Christmas party down at the station. She looked so beautiful in the dress she was wearing that I dragged her down to my office. I couldn't contain myself, and I'm afraid Leland went looking for me and found us. Thankfully he was the only one who did and he never told anyone."

"Oh my GOD! Adrian Monk! I don't believe it."

"I'm a terrible liar."

"Yes," she conceded. "There is that."

Adrian took her hand and gestured for her to get up.

"Where are we going?"

"To the shower...to do something about this stubble, and hopefully, new experiences."

Natalie had come to represent the ideal woman for him in the past three years. Beautiful, brave, resourceful, and usually had a bright outlook to balance his tendency towards pessimism. Although, it was hard to feel pessimistic about anything with her melted against him in his bed. He only prayed that it was him that she chose.

Natalie started to stir as she felt a warm hand stroking her hair. "Good morning," she murmured, smiling sleepily.

"The best morning I've had in forever, Natalie. What do you want to do today, love?"

Natalie sighed regretfully, "As much as I wish it were otherwise, I need a break for a few hours, mister. I'm not going to be able to walk at the rate we've been going!"

"Have I hurt you? Are you alright? Maybe you should see a doctor."

Natalie started to laugh. "A doctor would say, 'Stop screwing so much,' baby."

"I think I'd have words with a doctor that dared to call you 'baby'."

"Not the doctor, silly! I called _you_ 'baby'."

Adrian had never had a woman call him by that endearment before. He rather liked it, from Natalie, anyway. "In all seriousness, Natalie, have I been too rough with you?"

"Oh God, no! Here's the thing," watching him grin as she used one of his favorite phrases. "I haven't seen a whole lot of action, you aren't exactly 'petite', and we have been making love like desperate teenagers for two days. If I didn't know how much you hate chemicals, I would think you had a little help."

"Here's the thing," he smiled. "I obviously don't need any pills, it's been so long for me, and I have just been overcome by my desire for you and the way you respond to me. That being said, there are so many things we can do together. We can even go walk on the beach if you want."

"How about we hold off on the beach until tonight? We can watch the sunset together. I want us to go shopping because I want us to take a little trip this weekend."

Adrian's eyebrows shot upwards, "A trip?"

"Yes, a trip. To Berkeley. Julie landed the really coveted lead role in their production of _Ragtime_, and I have to go see it. I want you to show me what doing things like that together would be like, Adrian."

"I would love to go see Julie's performance. We travel now on business as it is, especially within the state. But what will Julie say?"

Natalie just shook her head. "She's not a little girl anymore. We won't tell her because she knows about the engagement. But if she suspects something, I'll have to be honest. Honestly, Adrian, I doubt much could faze her since you pointed out my birth control pills to her when she was only 12."

Monk blushed. "Not one of my more tactful moments, certainly. I still think of Julie as the little girl with the fish sometimes. I'll never forget how good she made me feel when she made that medal for me. I actually put it in the case where I keep my police medals."

Natalie's heart soared with love for him as she remembered how caring and responsible he had been with Julie. He had really been the only father figure in her life after Mitch died.

"But why do you want to go shopping?"

"Well, I want you to buy a new suit and I want a new dress for the occasion. Your taste has certainly improved. I'll never forget the way you looked in Mitch's uniform. I want to see you all dressed up. Besides, shopping with you has been a breeze since you've stopped insisting on the same old shirts."

Adrian wrapped his arms around Natalie and pressed closer to her and kissed her on her forehead. "Anything you want. I think we'll take separate showers this morning, honey. I can't stop myself from touching you just to make sure you're real."

Natalie sighed against his chest. She had told Adrian she hadn't made a decision, but truthfully, she had known she couldn't marry Steven the moment Adrian carried her to her bedroom and made her his. If she were honest with herself, she was already his. Finally making love with him had just made it reciprocal. She couldn't give him up. But in the meantime, she was going to make him jump through a few hoops to prove himself to her. She knew he would always feel quiet and awkward around strangers, and a bit claustrophobic in a room full of people. But she also knew how thrilling their adventures together had been, and that he had changed a great deal in the past three years. He had some confidence that she doubted he possessed even before Trudy's death. That was because he had finally found his answers and had conquered the worst thing that had ever happened to him.

But with a full heart, Natalie whispered, "I love you so much, Adrian."

As if to reassure her that the shy Monk she had fallen in love with was still in there, he replied, "I can't possibly imagine why."

She watched with real pleasure as she watched him walk towards the shower. He wasn't that tall, and he didn't have ripped muscles, but his daily running he had done the past three years had given him a realistic, toned body. A man in great shape for his age. She stretched out and was going to just enjoy herself for a few minutes when the telephone rang. Groaning, she rolled over and picked it up.

"Hello?"

It was the captain. "Natalie, is Monk there?"

She cleared her throat, a bit embarrassed. "He's in the shower."

But Stottlemeyer wasn't thinking about Monk's love life at the moment and the significance of that eluded him. He had only one thing on his mind.

"TK and I are on our way to the hospital. It's time."

Natalie jumped out of the bed and joined Adrian in the shower.

"I thought we were going to take separate showers this morning."

"No time for that! We have to be quick. The captain and TK are having a baby today!"

They hurriedly showered and dressed together, and then rushed towards the hospital.


	7. Chapter 7: Nothing I Won't Do

Chapter 7: Nothing I Won't Do

Leland Stottlemeyer paced the floor of his wife's labor and delivery suite. Everything was going smoothly, but he was agitated like every expectant father would be. He couldn't stay calm. He kept staring out the window, looking at the parking lot for any sign of Monk and Natalie. The only person serene at this moment was TK. He was grateful she had opted for the epidural. It was a welcome change from earlier when she was gripping his hand so tightly that he thought she might break his fingers. Now she contentedly munched on a few ice chips and occasionally pointed at the monitor. "Look, Leland, I'm having a contraction." Then she would start to laugh.

When they had first married, TK had been hesitant about bringing up having a child. She knew that Leland had already raised two sons, and she wasn't sure if he would want to start over again, given his age. Still, there had been a secret longing she couldn't deny, even as she knew her biological clock was definitely winding down. So it was a joyous surprise when she did turn up pregnant. Leland had thoroughly enjoyed having TK to himself, but when he saw the look on her face when she told him about the baby, her joy was so palpable that he felt it too. The part of him that said he was too old was absolutely silenced in the face of sharing such an incredible thing with the woman who had pinned his badge on him on their wedding day, signifying that she unequivocally accepted him for everything he was. No more waterfalls, no more aromatherapy, and no more pretending to be the most idiotic thing on the planet- a cop who didn't carry a gun.

They had done things the old fashioned way. They didn't want to know the gender of the baby before it was born. But in his secret heart, Leland prayed for a daughter at last. A beautiful princess, a miniature of her mother for Daddy to shower with love.

TK smiled at her husband. "If there were carpet in here, you would wave worn a hole through it by now."

"It's everything! I'm concerned about you, excited about the baby, and wondering where the hell Monk is."

"I'm sure he's waiting for Natalie to come with him."

"That's just the thing, Natalie answered the phone at Monk's apartment this morning. She was already there." Then he stopped and did his best imitation of The Smile. "She wasn't already there, she had never left. I'll be damned."

"What are you talking about, Leland?"

"Oh, what the hell...I've been so worried about you that I didn't want to excite you. Monk called me over to his apartment the other night-you remember. He was asking for advice. He wanted to know how to stop Natalie's wedding to Albright."

TK's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? There's only one reason Natalie would call off her wedding," she said knowingly. "Did he have the right reason?"

"Oh yeah, he tried hedging at first, but finally he told me it made his blood boil every time he saw the Golden Boy- _his words_- touch Natalie."

"Finally," she beamed. Almost everyone from Dr. Bell to TK knew that Natalie had been in love with Monk. "I thought he would never come around. Do you really think something is going on?"

"Think? No. I might not be Monk, but I _know_ something big happened. He showed up at the crime scene yesterday morning, in his car, without Natalie, and it was obvious he hadn't slept. He couldn't focus, and so I went behind his back and called Natalie. When she arrived, she obviously hadn't slept very much either. When he caught sight of her, the look Monk gave her was so intense, I actually turned the other way. She called him by his first name, TK."

TK smiled and covered her mouth with her hands. "Is that all?"

"No. Natalie's makeup couldn't cover up the fact that she had been with Monk and his perpetual 5 o'clock shadow. I'm sure they had spent the night together before coming to that crime scene. Albright's underwater, and that only leaves Monk. I had her take him home and then she probably spent the night with him again last night."

Leland looked out the window, absently chewing on his toothpick. Then he saw Monk's car pull up. He watched him jump out of the car and run around to the passenger door and open it. When Natalie stepped out, Monk leaned over and kissed Natalie, right in the parking lot. He watched them start to walk hurriedly towards the hospital, hand in hand.

"My God, he can't keep his hands off of her..." Then he turned to his wife and smiled, "They're here."

In a few minutes, Natalie rushed in and leaned over to embrace TK. "It's baby day!"

"I'm so glad you and Adrian are here. Where is he?"

"The more things change, the more things stay the same. He's hiding outside. I think I can coax him in here, though."

Natalie stepped out in the hallway and whispered, "Come on, Adrian!"

He tilted his head. "Here's the thing, Natalie. The whole thing is painful. All the breathing and screaming. It's messy, and..."

"Adrian, she has an epidural. She can't feel anything, so there's no screaming and no heavy breathing. She's also completely covered up." She leaned over and lowered her voice. "Come on, lover. He's your best friend and his wife is having a baby. It's not as though we can stay in there during 'showtime', anyway. So we might as well visit now."

Natalie returned and Adrian peered around the corner of the door. TK smiled at him, "Come in, Adrian!"

Reassured at the sight of no blood, Monk tentatively stepped in the room. Leland clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Proud of you, Monk. Today wouldn't be complete without the both of you." Leland looked at TK and she nodded. "We want both of you to be our baby's godparents. After all, our wedding might not have happened at all if it weren't for you."

Tears welled up in Natalie's eyes and Monk was just beside himself with astonishment. Natalie said, "Captain, we are so honored to accept."

"So many things have changed, Natalie. Don't you think it's time you started to call me Leland?"

Several hours passed, and Monk and Natalie sat in the waiting room, waiting for the big arrival. They sat next to each other, talking softly as they waited. Adrian picked up Natalie's hand and kissed it lightly. "I'm so glad you agreed to stay with me."

Natalie cut her eyes over to him and smirked, "Well, I couldn't really have you stay with me for the next three weeks. Besides, we had to go by my place before going to the hospital. I was not about to show up in front of the captain wearing the same clothes I was wearing at the crime scene yesterday."

"I doubt he would have noticed, anyway. If my wife were having my baby, I don't think even I would notice that." Adrian's eyes turned and met Natalie's meaningfully.

Leaning back and closing his eyes, he continued, "It was my biggest regret, you know."

Natalie squeezed his hand tightly. "Not having a child with Trudy."

"You know that I didn't know the biggest reason she yearned for a child. If I had known she was a mother that still grieved, not even my biggest fears of being a bad father could have stopped me from giving her what she wanted."

"Adrian, you can't think in those terms. All you can do is look towards the future." Natalie took a deep breath, "There's no time like the present to talk about this."

"Talk about what?"

"You know TK and...Leland, they didn't talk about having a baby before they got married. They had only known each other a few months, a whirlwind courtship. She was afraid he might not want to start over again. But as it turns out, he's thrilled. Julie is grown, but I would like to try to have another child. That's what I want. How do you feel about that, Adrian? If we were to..stay together, would you want a family with me?"

"Hindsight is 20/20, Natalie. There is nothing I won't do, and nothing I won't face if you choose me, Natalie. I'm not pressuring you into anything. But you have to know how serious I am about this. All these years, even before I solved Trudy's murder, you have been at my side. You have helped me face and conquer some of my greatest fears. Not even the past with my own parents is enough to deny you this." Adrian's gaze turned more intense as he locked eyes with hers. "But first, you have to choose me."

Before Natalie could respond, Stottlemeyer burst into the waiting room. Tears streamed down his face. "It's a girl! I finally have a daughter! Come and meet our precious Amanda!"

Suddenly, Adrian no longer wished to merely give Natalie what she wanted so much. The look on Stottlemeyer's face, his unmitigated joy at having a child with the woman he loved. It was now something he wanted, too.

**I never could stand Karen. She was such a flake and it was obvious that they weren't really right for each other. Leland might not have been perfect, but he supported his wife's expensive documentary films that never put a dime in their pocket. It was also beyond ridiculous that she expected that a police officer not carry a gun.**

**Honestly, folks- this is an intense and shameless Monk and Natalie romance. It's going to move quickly because there's no where else for it to go. They don't need to get to know each other. They've lived in each other's lives and homes for years. I set it three years after The End for a reason. Monk needed time to recover and find his footing after solving Trudy's murder. I don't think most of it's out of character because when you watch that scene in the series finale, you see a man who has finally found a modicum of peace. You could see it in the way he dressed...even the confidence in his walk as he and Natalie approached the crime scene at the end. The passage of time would only improve Monk regaining a foothold on his life. I also think he would emerge from it with more confidence than he had possessed before Trudy died. Adrian Monk had managed to survive and conquer the worst thing that had ever happened to him.**

**In my eyes, Tony Shalhoub had this understated sex appeal underneath the Monk persona. Freed from most of his phobias and solving Trudy's murder, I could see some of that rising to the surface. The eyes, the voice...and yes, I keep referring to a man who obviously needs to shave twice a day!**


	8. Chapter 8: He Deserves to Know

Chapter 8: He Deserves to Know

Two days after the birth of Amanda Stottlemeyer, Monk and Natalie had packed up their bags and left for Berkeley. Natalie wanted to come early, the day before the Friday night premiere. She had missed Julie, and wanted to have lunch with her daughter and catch up.

They chatted on the drive across the bay. Adrian had taken the wheel because he had made the reservations and they were a surprise. He had refused to divulge any details at all.

"What is with you, Adrian? You hate surprises. You have to tell me where we're going!"

"I only hate surprises if I'm the one being surprised, and no, I'm not telling you where we're going." Changing the subject, he said, "I've never seen Ragtime. Trudy and I went to a lot of musicals together. We even drove out to Berkeley to see student productions. But I'm not familiar with this one."

Natalie reached over and patted his knee. "That's because it didn't tour the US until 1998."

"Ah. So, what is this big part Julie is playing?"

"Well, Ragtime is a musical set in the early 1900s, and it explores race relations and tensions and treatment of immigrants during that era. Julie is playing the lead female role of Mother, who is the matriarch of a very wealthy white family in New York. Mother was initially grateful for their wealthy lifestyle and the fact that her husband provided well for their family. But soon she began to yearn for more, wanted her own adventures in life. I won't tell the rest, but it's a moving story. Julie is just perfect for the role, and I am so excited for tomorrow night!"

They had arrived and to Natalie's shock, Adrian had pulled into a gorgeous, palatial bed and breakfast. It was beautifully landscaped, with a large main house, and several private cottages were scattered on the property.

"Oh my God!" Natalie put her hands to her face in delight.

Adrian parked the car and then leaned over to kiss her. "Surprise!"

"_This_ is where we're staying? You are so much fun now that you're not a miser anymore." Natalie's face was just glowing with happiness as she took in the beautiful scenery.

"I have never been here before, but the Captain and TK have stayed here on several occasions. I believe he said, 'it's clean enough, even for you'."

The private cottage he had booked was just gorgeous. Antique furnishings combined with modern amenities...a tub big enough for three people. Adrian looked around the room in approval. "The captain was right. Thank God!" He felt like he did when he saw the public restroom at the community theater during Julie's first performance.

Natalie laughed as Adrian set down their bags. She threw her arms around him. "You have really outdone yourself, Mr. Monk." She teased him by addressing him formally. Then her face grew more serious and she whispered, "and now I have you all to myself." She pressed her body against his and she started to feel dizzy as their kisses became more heated. Her hands went to the waistband of his pants and she found his belt and started to unfasten it. But his hands encircled her wrists and stopped her. He struggled to catch his breath and said, "Waiting until later will just make it that much better."

Natalie growled in protest as she struggled to slow her own breathing. "And Adrian Monk is never wrong...but it's so frustrating!" They had spent all week together, walking along the beach, shopping for their trip, and watching a couple of movies together. But they had allowed their passion to rule all week and had hardly kept their hands off each other when they were alone and awake.

He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and pressed his forehead to hers. "I love you."

"I love you, too. But what I really want is for you to take me to bed and do that second thing you do best," she whispered.

"Clean?" He gave her an almost diabolical smile.

Natalie whimpered and rapped him lightly on the chest. "I'll get you for that later."

"If it makes you feel any better, I wish we could just lock out the rest of the world, too. But what about meeting Julie for lunch?"

Natalie nearly forgot all thoughts of bedroom recreation and said, "Oh my God. Julie! I've always said you were never wrong. Let's go, we have to hurry!" Grabbing his hand, she practically dragged Adrian out the door.

UC Berkeley was a place full of memories for Adrian Monk. Some of them weren't so great, but that was always tempered by the fact that he had found Trudy here. He had never entertained the notion of coming back here with another woman on his arm, but he was a new man. So they walked together, and Natalie took his arm, almost as she always had, but both of them knew it was different this time.

The beautiful little girl had turned into a gorgeous young woman. Julie Teeger looked around, waiting for her mom at the place they had agreed to meet. When she finally caught sight of her, she was surprised to see Adrian Monk walking with her mother. It wasn't a bit unusual for her to see her mother casually take Mr. Monk's arm; she had seen her do so for years. But this time, it was different. It was something about her face, a look she had only seen on her face when she talked about her dad.

Mr. Monk was different, too. He looked like he had just solved...no, he looked happy. Unequivocally happy. But she didn't have any more time to ponder this as her mom came running to her and threw her arms around her.

"Julie, honey! I missed you so much!"

Julie returned her enthusiastic hug. "I missed you, too!"

Then she walked over to Mr. Monk. She hugged him too, and he returned it in a way he never had before. "I'm surprised to see you, Mr. Monk!"

Adrian smiled at Julie. He loved Natalie's daughter, too. "I saw your debut performance. When your mother told me you had landed such a big role, I wanted to be here for another big night."

Adrian turned to Natalie. Smiling softly, he said, "I'm going to leave so you two can catch up. I have a couple of things I'd like to take care of."

Natalie placed her hands on her hips. "Promise me it has nothing to do with anything involving a hair dryer and a refrigerator!"

"Not a chance. We'll catch up later."

Natalie stood there and watched Adrian walk away. Then she turned to Julie and says, "Let's go eat, honey. I'm starved!"

Julie realized that her mom wasn't just her usual perky self. She was nearly glowing. She also doubted it had anything to do with Steven Albright.

"Are you sure you don't want a glass of wine, honey? This is really good."

Julie shook her head. "Not a chance, Mom. I have to live like a monk."

Natalie almost choked on her wine. "Why did you say that?"

"Not like Mr. Monk. I mean...no alcohol, no caffeine, no dairy, and no chocolate. They're all bad for the voice. Which is why I'm drinking this herbal tea." Julie leaned over slightly, to ensure privacy. "Mom, where is your ring? You look so happy, but you're not wearing your engagement ring."

Natalie blushed. That was the problem with grown-up children. They felt they could ask you the same sort of personal questions that you would ask them. "It's a bit complicated."

"Mom, these things usually aren't that complicated. Either you want to marry Steven or you don't."

"Julie, I don't think that I can." Natalie leaned back in her chair. "You aren't a little girl anymore. It started a long time ago, Julie. It was really a done deal, at least for me, over five years ago. Mr. Monk was framed by Rollins and Captain Stottlemeyer helped him fake his death so he could go into hiding. I really thought he was dead. I hadn't felt so devastated since I got the news about your dad. I couldn't tell Mr. Monk. But things have changed."

Julie tried to hide her shock, "You're in love with him." She stared for a moment..."and he's here with you. He's happy. I thought I had never seen him look like that before. You can't marry Steven. Have you told him this?"

"It's kind of hard to break up with someone underwater. Besides, he'll be back in a couple of weeks. This isn't easy for me, Julie. I love Steven. I know that I'm not in love with him, but at least I owe him a better explanation than a letter or email. I didn't know if I really was going to call off the wedding at first. A lot of things have happened in a short period of time. I haven't even told Adrian I'm choosing him."

"Mom! You have to tell him. Here's the thing,"

Natalie and Julie started to laugh. "Go on, honey. He does rub off on you, doesn't he?"

"Mom, I like Steven, but I _love_ you. I also love Mr. Monk. He has always been there for us, he has always protected us, and he's provided me with wisdom at a time that I needed it. He's been the most important man in my life since I was 12 years old. He deserves to know."

"I wondered how I was going to explain all of this to you. You've made it so much easier, and I'm glad to know that I won't be upsetting you when I tell Steven I can't marry him."

"How can I possibly be upset about this, Mom? Let me tell you a secret. When I was a little girl, I used to hope that Mr. Monk would fall in love with you and could be my step-dad. It wasn't until a little later that I realized things about Trudy and why that wasn't going to happen. But things are different now. He is sweet and kind, and unspoiled by macho garbage. But I also know that if he needed to protect one of us, he wouldn't hesitate to kick their butt or even kill them. I think of him standing his ground in front of that airplane, and that's the kind of man I want, Mom! One that will stand his ground in the face of what he believes is right, even if it puts him at risk."

Natalie swallowed back her tears. "How did you get to be so smart?"

"I had a really great mom, and she had a really great boss that told me to wait for Trudy."

Adrian Monk never used to carry a cellphone, but once he started to move forward with his life, he started carrying one. Even a smartphone. Sometimes having a camera in your pocket all the time came in really handy as a private investigator. He didn't indulge a lot in texting, but Natalie texted him quite a bit. So he wasn't surprised when he received a text from Natalie, telling him where to meet her.

He smiled as he saw Julie and Natalie approach him. They were laughing together, and then Julie embraced her mom. She would see them tomorrow night, soon after the performance.

As Julie disappeared, Adrian wrapped an arm around Natalie's shoulder and kissed her on the forehead. "How was your lunch?"

"Lunch was great. She was happy to see you. She told me that she was still waiting. That she wanted a man that wasn't afraid to stand in front of the airplane in order to do the right thing. Since she's been here, I've almost forgotten that you helped me raise Julie. Adrian?"

"Yes?"

"Can we go back to the bed and breakfast?"

"My thoughts exactly. Do you have anything in mind?"

"Actually, I do. Are you curious?" Natalie smiled wickedly.

"I'm a detective. Curiosity is my business."

She stopped him on the sidewalk and whispered in his ear.

Adrian's eyes widened and then his mind started to go over the possibilities.

By the time they got to the car, Adrian was walking so quickly he was practically dragging her. Once the doors were shut, he looked at her and said, "Against the wall? I've never done that before..."

"Neither have I, but I've been thinking about it all week. You said you wanted to please me, didn't you?"

He smirked. "I did say that, didn't I?"


	9. Chapter 9: Team Monk

Chapter 9: Team Monk

"That wasn't too bad for an old man, was it?"

Natalie had been relaxing with her back against Adrian's chest in the oversized bathtub, steam rising from the air. She twisted her head to the right and looked at him as if he had grown a second head.

"What?"

"What, you ask," replied Natalie. "One thing I _never_ feel like is that you're an old man. I've watched you chase, on foot, airplanes, garbage trucks."

"Could we please not bring up the garbage truck incident?" Adrian shuddered in disgust.

"Okay, then let's bring up the 'wasn't too bad' part. That's like saying Praline-Topped Chocolate Cake isn't "too bad". It's hard for me to think of you as old when I'm trying not to scream. Especially earlier."

By the time they had arrived back at their cottage, both of them were desperate to be alone. He had started to kiss her before they had even gone inside, and he impatiently kicked the door shut behind them. Natalie shoved his jacket off his shoulders and yanked his shirt out of his pants. He started to pant as she ran her hands up his chest. "God, I want you," he growled.

Natalie leaned over and whispered in his ear, "You have me."

"Not _yet_ I don't," as he shoved her back against the wall. This time it was Natalie that gasped as she felt his hands slide up her legs as he hitched up her skirt.

It didn't take that long. It was hard, fevered, and frenzied and before they knew it, Natalie had buried her mouth against his shoulder as they both went over the edge.

Temporarily sated, they had quickly showered and now were taking advantage of the enormous bathtub. Natalie turned around and rested her head under Adrian's chin. "Old man," she snorted. "If it weren't physically impossible, I would be beginning to think my toes would never lie flat again."

Adrian smiled and drew circles with his fingertips on her back. "I never thought I would ever really be happy again. You are one of God's most beautiful creatures. For years, you helped relieve my fears, day by day. I wish I had been less foolish. I wish I had been able to see what was in front of me years ago. I love you."

"Everything comes to us all in our time, and in our turn. If someone told me a month ago I would be lying naked in a bathtub with Adrian Monk, I think I would have started to cry. I have been in love with you all these years and I never thought you would love me." Natalie started to sniffle as she remembered all the years of suppressing her love.

Adrian shook his head. "Don't cry, Natalie. I can't stand it." He ran his fingers through her damp hair. "Whatever happens, you have to know that my love is unconditional and forever. I want to marry you, and then you can be my partner in all things, perhaps in a way no one else ever has."

Later on, they snuggled in bed. Natalie said, "Julie knows."

"Knows about us? About this?" Adrian blushed.

"For God's sake, Adrian! She doesn't know we've been sleeping together. I meant that she noticed a change in me, and she noticed I had taken off my ring, and she probably just sensed the difference between us."

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her the truth, told her that I had known I've loved you for over five years. That's why she told me that she wanted a man who would stand his ground in front of the airplane."

Later on, Natalie watched Adrian sleep. Julie was right- there was just something utterly unspoiled about him. It didn't matter that he would put his life before hers, that he was athletic and was more than capable of defending himself. The sex was absolutely amazing, and she didn't say "the best ever" to stroke his ego. Not even Mitch was as emotionally and physically intense as Adrian Monk was in private, and now she was the only one he wanted to know about that side of himself. He was the only man she had ever known that wouldn't think about engaging in sex without love. Perhaps that was the reason the intimacy was so intense in the first place. Her opinion of him as a man was what mattered the most.

The only thing that made her even slightly ashamed was that in the end, she had toyed around with Steven. If she had known things would eventually arrive here, she would have waited for him. Smiling at Adrian, Natalie whispered, "You're my answer." Tomorrow, she decided, after Julie's performance, she would tell him he was her answer, her everything. She wanted everything to be perfect.

The next morning, Monk gently kissed Natalie on the shoulder as he slid out of bed. He thought she looked so peaceful, and if he woke her, all he would want to do is stay in bed with her until it was time to go to Julie's show. He was overwhelmed at the way Natalie met all of his passions in a ferocity equaling his own. But he had been at her all week, and they had spent nearly all of their spare time in each other's arms. He wanted her to rest so she would be able to enjoy their evening. So he decided that a morning run was in order.

Natalie woke up to Adrian's voice calling to her. "Natalie...NATalieeeee. Come on, beautiful, wake up."

He was already freshly showered and damn...he had already shaved. Squinting at the sunlight, "What time is it?" She turned over and saw the clock. "10:30? Why didn't you wake me?"

"You looked so peaceful. I've been a beast all week. You needed the rest."

"But I love that beastly side of you."

"I love showing it to you," Adrian smiled. "But don't worry, he'll be back."

"Promise?"

"Always. But take a shower! We have to get out of here so the cleaning staff can come! There's hours yet before we have to come back and get ready."

"Now there's the Adrian Monk I fell in love with...the one who thinks about cleaning," Natalie teased as she slid past him to the bathroom.

Adrian was busy straightening things up and arranging the room when his cell phone rang. He answered, "Julie?"

"Mr. Monk, where's Mom?"

Adrian tilted his head as he tried to make the lie convincing. "She's probably in her room. She's so excited about tonight."

Julie sighed, "Cut the crap, detective."

"Does your mother know you use that kind of language?"

"She knows I do when someone is telling me untruths. I know where you are because when Mom didn't answer her phone, I tracked it."

"Well," Adrian stammered, "the shower in her room isn't working, so she's using mine."

"MR. MONK, please! I believe that about as much as I believe in adult tic-tacs. There's no way you took Mom to the most expensive bed-and-breakfast in Berkeley just so you can sleep in separate rooms and play Scrabble."

"Wait, Julie. Here she comes." Adrian was now thoroughly crimson at having been caught by Natalie's daughter.

"Don't be mad, Mr. Monk. I learned a thing or two from the world's most brilliant detective," laughed Julie. "For what it's worth, I'm Team Monk."

Adrian's brow furrowed, "Team Monk? What does that mean?"

"It means that Steven is cool and all, but he can find some other woman to charm."

Still humiliated, Adrian thrust his phone into Natalie's outstretched hand.

"Mom? I'm sorry I bothered you, but I have to tell you something."

"Julie, honey. You're not bothering me. What is it?"

Julie's voice was serious. "I called to warn you, Mom. Grandma and Grandpa are here."

Adrian sat on the edge of the bed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Oh my God...I'm so embarrassed. Oh my GOD!"

Natalie put her hands on her hips, "What are you upset about?"

Adrian rolled his shoulder, twitching. "Julie..._she knows_ we've been here. She tracked your phone. She knows we've been...we've been."

"Having sex?"

"Yes!"

"Screwing like desperate newlyweds?"

"Stop it already..._she knows_ what we've been doing here."

Natalie rolled her eyes, "Adrian, Julie is 21 years old. It's my fault for turning my phone ringer off, but I wanted no interruptions last night. That's the least of our problems."

"What could possibly be worse than Julie knowing we're here, like this?" He gestured to the bed.

"I'll tell you what's worse. They've never bothered before, but my parents are here in Berkeley for Julie's show."


	10. Chapter 10: You're My Answer

Chapter 10: You're My Answer

Natalie stepped out of the bathroom to find Adrian standing next to the mantle. She loved seeing him in charcoal grey. The tailoring was excellent and he had chosen a slate blue shirt and coordinating tie. It reminded her a bit of what he had been wearing on their first night together. Then his eyes swept down her figure and back up to her face. He couldn't look at her that way without the blast of sexual attraction that made her entire body tingle.

She was dressed in royal blue. It was his favorite color on her because it made her eyes even more beautiful than ever. The neckline was simple and had tiny straps. There was a row of small, iridescent stones that went all the way around underneath her bustline. A soft flowing skirt that came just above the knees and heels that showed off the most beautiful pair of legs he had ever beheld. It didn't matter if she was growing her hair out or had it almost pixie short- she always looked beautiful to him. But the soft waves that framed her face tonight had always been his favorite. She had an irresistible combination of class and sex appeal and he wanted to kiss her beautiful bare shoulders.

"You're so beautiful, Natalie," he beamed. I'll be the luckiest guy in the entire room. You look perfect."

"Well, there's only one thing left. I need you to zip me up."

She turned over as he walked over to her. He placed his hand on the small of her back and slowly slid it upwards as he zipped up her dress.

"_God_, Adrian, I've told you I can't think straight when you do that to me."

"Then we're even, because I can't think straight with you looking that gorgeous. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I have no idea how I'm going to keep my hands off of you."

Catching her breath, Natalie straightened her back. "You're going to _have_ to! Won't it be that much better when we get back if we wait?"

Adrian walked back over to the antique mantle. "Did I say that? There are limits to a man's control, you know," he teased. "But we're not quite ready to go yet."

"We're not? Why?"

"Here's the thing. You can't go until I give you this." He picked up a small jeweler's box on the mantle and walked over to her and opened it. It was a diamond infinity pendant, with ten perfect diamonds.

Natalie gasped. "It's beautiful. Put it on me."

He removed it from the box and fastened the white gold chain around Natalie's neck. Then he couldn't resist his initial impulse. He breathed in the scent of her hair and then kissed her on one of her bare shoulders. "I love you, Natalie. Forever."

Leland Stottlemeyer's voice echoed in her head, "_Once that man loves, it's forever._" Natalie's heart burst with love. She was making the right choice. She would spend the rest of her life being the center of this man's universe, and they would share everything from work...to love and a life together, maybe even a child. She wanted to put all doubts out of his head that very moment, but she had her own plans for tonight. If she spilled it now, they would probably wind up in a heap on the floor and be late. She couldn't allow that to happen.

When Monk and Natalie arrived at the theater, Peggy and Bobby Davenport were waiting for their daughter. Peggy's eyes narrowed as she saw her daughter arrive on the arm of her boss. Then she kind of shook her head. That was nothing new. He had been at Natalie's side for years, and besides, he was a man obsessed with his dead wife.

Natalie spied her parents and saw them walking towards her. Her father hugged her, "You look so lovely tonight, honey."

"Well, I couldn't exactly embarrass Julie by showing up looking frumpy." Natalie favored her father with an affectionate smile. Even if her mother made her teeth itch most of the time, she knew her dad loved her.

Peggy embraced her daughter and said, "Yes, you look very nice, especially on a secretary's salary."

"Partner, Mrs. Davenport. Natalie was never my secretary and I haven't needed an assistant in over three years. However, Natalie is still indispensable to our consultant work," corrected Adrian.

Peggy stared at Adrian Monk. Perusing his attire, she thought that he had gained taste, a suntan, and a backbone at that. Still, Natalie wouldn't have to play junior detective forever, especially not once Steven retired from the Navy.

"Natalie, dear...I want to show you something." Peggy pulled her aside and pulled a wedding invitation out of her handbag. "What do you think? We can send them out next week."

There was no way that Natalie was going to get into the subject of her personal life with her mother, not tonight, not in this public place. But as she looked at the wedding invitation, she smiled in real pleasure. "Mind if I keep this one, Mom? I think it's perfect." Natalie secured it in her own purse.

Thankfully, Natalie and Adrian weren't sitting near her parents. So Adrian held Natalie's hand when they sat down, waiting for the curtain to rise.

Soon it did, and the music began and the stage was filled with people in breathtaking period costume, including Julie. She was resplendent in her white dress with the large brim hat. Her hair was pinned up ornately in the style of the period and she was wearing a cameo at her throat. During the prologue, Julie introduced her character.

_The house on the hill in New Rochelle was Mother's _

_domain. She took pleasure in making it comfortable_

_for the men of her family and often told herself how_

_fortunate she was to be so protected and provided for _

_by her husband._

_The days were gently tinted lavender-pink, lemon and lime!_

As the curtain came down for intermission, Adrian was wiping tears out of the corners of his eyes. "I never could get through most of these without tearing up."

Natalie was genuinely crying and said, "It's a sad story. I always cry when I hear the song before the intermission."

Adrian reached in his pocket and removed his pocket Kleenex. He touched Natalie's face as he dabbed at her eyes.

Feeling a little claustrophobic, Monk tilted his head. "Let's walk around a bit."

Monk waited for Natalie to come out of the ladies room. She had come out and he smiled as she walked towards him. Then he heard a man's obnoxious voice behind him. "Well, if it isn't Captain Cool."

Monk turned around and quietly chuckled. "And it's Peter Sandstone, still the proverbial _sand_ in everyone's knickers."

"Whoa, Captain Cool! When did you get some rocks? My kid's in the ensemble. Why are you here and not to defrost the fridge?"

Natalie heard this exchange and her blood started to boil. She walked over to Adrian and intertwined her fingers with his, making it clear that "Captain Cool" was with her. Sandstone's eyes swept down Natalie's figure and glanced from her to Monk.

Adrian's eyes narrowed and he let go of Natalie's hand. How _he_ looked at Natalie in the privacy of their bedroom was one thing, but for this oaf to ogle her in public was not about to happen. He placed one foot forward and leant towards the rude man. Not even an idiot like Sandstone could mistake Adrian's intent.

"So, you have a son or daughter in the ensemble. As it happens, I am here with the most beautiful woman in the room, and her lovely daughter is playing the role of Mother. I hope you're enjoying the show."

Taking Natalie's hand once more, they walked away together.

Once they had gained some distance, she whispered, "I am so proud of you. That was brilliant, Adrian Monk."

"I really wanted to knock his teeth out. The way he ogled you, it was so disrespectful." Adrian clenched his free hand.

The smile Natalie gave him made him feel like the only other man in the room. Resisting the impulse to kiss her, he instead picked up the pendant at her neckline and merely whispered, "Forever."

Unfortunately, Monk wasn't the only man in the room, and certainly not the only woman. Peggy and Bobby Davenport watched this exchange. Peggy said, "Oh my God, Bobby. She's running around on Albright with that crazy boss of hers, and he looks like he likes it!" She started to walk towards Monk and Natalie but she was stopped by her husband.

Bobby grabbed his wife by the arm. "Peggy, this is Julie's night. I won't have you ruin it by making a scene. But if I were you, I would hold off on the wedding invitations. Any questions you might have for our daughter can wait."

And the show went on...Julie had her showstopper number- _Back to Before_, where Mother tells her husband that she has changed too much because of the tragedy of Coalhouse and Sarah, and as a result, their marriage has changed as well. Julie's voice soared through the powerful piece and she received nearly deafening applause.

At curtain call, when everyone stepped out to take their bow, Julie was one of the cast that received a standing ovation.

Natalie was in a hurry to whisk her handsome man away, but they did have to track down Julie. "Oh honey," Natalie gushed, "you were just so beautiful in every way. I am so proud of you!"

Julie's eyes grew watery as she returned her mother's embrace. "I love you, Mom!" Then she looked at Monk, who had not forgotten about that morning. Blushing slightly, he hitched his shoulder.

"You were marvelous, Julie. You're beautiful, too. Just like your mom."

Julie hugged him, "I love you, Mr. Monk!"

Then she whispered, "I'm about to do you guys another favor. Grandma and Grandpa on your six...so if you want to make your escape, go right past me!"

Natalie looked at her daughter gratefully, "Thank you, honey! I won't leave Berkeley without coming to tell you goodbye."

With that, Natalie and Adrian dashed past Julie and disappeared before Peggy could try to track them.

They arrived back at the cottage and Monk unlocked it. Impulsively, he swept Natalie in his arms and carried her over the threshold. She laughed as he set her down and pulled her into his arms for a kiss. "Julie wasn't the only one who was great tonight. I loved the way you put my mother in her place. I loved the way you made that jerk feel three inches tall before we walked away. I love you."

Adrian's hands went to the zipper of her dress. "I have been waiting all night to do this."

Natalie giggled, "_Who knew_ you were such a sex fiend? Now, you can unzip it partway. I am going to the bathroom and I'll be out in a few minutes." Monk looked after her, mystified. Then he began to make his own preparations.

Monk loved the way candlelight looked, and even though he was no longer afraid of candles, he didn't like the way they smelled when you blew them out. He went to a shopping bag he had placed behind the chair in the corner and pulled out several LED candles. By the time he was done, the entire room glowed with soft, flickering light. He removed his jacket and tie and unbuttoned the top button. He had actually left off the undershirt because Natalie had whispered to him once that she would love to slowly unbutton his shirt and find his chest to be bare.

Then the bathroom door opened and Natalie stood there in a long, softly sheer confection that was a softer blue than the dress she had been wearing earlier. Even in the candlelight, he could see she wore nothing underneath.

She turned around and said, "What do you think?"

Adrian looked at her and thought she couldn't get more beautiful. "I think I am completely undone by you."

"Hold that thought." Natalie walked over to her purse and pulled out the wedding invitation her mother gave her earlier and showed it to him. "Mother wanted to know what I thought of it. I told her I thought it was perfect."

A pit began to grow in Adrian's stomach. What was she saying?

"What I _didn't_ tell her was what I thought it was perfect _for_." Natalie took the invitation from Adrian's hands and walked over to the fireplace. Removing the long-handled lighter from the mantle, she lit it on fire and tossed it into the grate. Adrian's eyes never left hers as she walked back towards him. She cradled his face in her hands. "Adrian, I will _never_ put that ring on again. You're my answer. You're my everything, Adrian Monk. Forever."

Something inside of Adrian broke and the tears started to come. He pulled her into his embrace and said, "I've been daring to hope, daring to dream that you would choose me. I don't know if I'll ever get over this miracle." He buried his face in her hair. "My beautiful Natalie, mine..."

She started to cry too and whispered, "Don't ever forget that the fact that you could love again, and love me in return...it's my miracle too."

With that, Adrian Monk picked up the woman he loved, slowly laid her on the bed, and they spent the rest of the night celebrating their miracle, spiraling to heights of new passion and whispered words of love and commitment.


	11. Chapter 11: Why He's My Everything

**Thanks for the enthusiastic reviews. We are a neglected fandom, and fanfiction is the only outlet in which we can visualize what we wanted to see.**

Chapter 11: Why He's My Everything

Sunlight flooded the bedroom of the picturesque private cottage the following morning as Natalie opened her eyes. It was the most liberating thing in the world to know she had made her decision- the right one. She was spooned against Adrian's chest as his arms held her possessively, even in sleep. She had thought about the past several days and just couldn't wipe the smile off of her face.

Adrian still had many of his compulsions and quirks, but he loved with such singular intent that it was impossible not to find those little idiosyncrasies of his personality endearing. They were part of who he is. All week, he had shown her what it meant to be the woman he loved and it had been impossible for her to give that up. It wasn't merely the overwhelming surprise that he was the most sensual, satisfying lover she had ever had, but it was that singular intent. For years, Natalie had watched Adrian love Trudy with that same singular intent. Other women were drawn to him when they initially looked at him, but it was as though he didn't even see them. Now all he could see was _her_. He could be in a room full of models and actresses, but she knew he would look right through them. It was a heady sensation, to always know you were the only woman that could turn his head.

She started to wriggle away from him gently, trying not to wake him up, only to feel his arms come around her even more tightly. "Mine," he murmured, as she felt him nuzzle her neck.

"You're mine, too," she laughed. "But I have to use the necessary."

Making a face, he released her and said, "Life would be so perfect without those kind of bodily functions." As she sat on the edge of the bed, he watched the sunlight on her bare back.

She gave him a seductive smile over her shoulder. "Then it's a good thing there are other bodily functions that more than compensate."

A short while later, they were both dressing. "We've been like reckless teenagers, Adrian. Staying up all night, and missing breakfast. What the point of staying at one of these places if you never go for the home-cooked breakfast?"

Adrian donned a black jacket over a deep red pullover. With a gleam in his eye, he looked at her and said, "Oh, that's an easy answer. Bed."

"You have a point, and I've enjoyed it thoroughly. But I am famished!"

He grabbed her hand and said, "Well, I _did_ say I wanted to please you. Let it not be said I didn't take care of all of your needs." Natalie was laughing as they headed out the door.

Natalie and Adrian headed for the car, only to be intercepted by a red, classic MG.

Peggy Davenport glared at Monk and turned her eyes on her daughter. "I think it's about time you tell me what is going on." Bobby parked his car next to Adrian's.

Both of them got out of the car and Bobby gave his daughter a contrite look. "I stopped her last night when she saw the two of you holding hands and smiling at each other. But I'm afraid she's right. We can see what's going on, but you need to tell us what it means."

Natalie drew a deep breath and said, "You're right. I have to give you some answers." She turned back to their cottage.

Adrian shifted awkwardly and said, "I can disappear for awhile."

"No way, Adrian. I want you to hear every word."

They went inside and Natalie was thankful for Adrian's fastidious ways. Of course, they knew what they had been doing, but it didn't mean her parents needed to see a rumpled, unmade bed or the negligee she had been wearing in the floor across the room because Adrian had impatiently tossed it away once he could no longer bear to have a single thread of material between them.

Her parents marched over to the loveseat and sat down. Peggy gave Natalie her most imperious look and said, "Well?"

"First off, Mom, how did you even know we were here?"

"We didn't. _We_ were here, we were checking out to return home and saw the both of you come out of this cottage. Although, I didn't know _you_ could afford this on your detective's salary, Mr. Monk."

Natalie stomped her foot, "Don't you _dare_ say another word to insult him!"

Natalie shook her head and continued, "You want answers, fine. This is exactly what it looks like it is. We've been here alone together all weekend." She held up her left hand. "I've taken off my ring. I'm not going to marry Steven. I'm not in love with Steven. I have never really been in love with him. I'm in love with Adrian."

Peggy huffed, "I can't believe this. Steven is a doctor, and you're throwing him over for this man who can't even be a cop anymore? How long is this going to last? He's been obsessed with his dead wife all these years."

"Mrs. Davenport..."

"Adrian, you don't have to..."

Adrian looked at Natalie meaningfully. "Yes, I do. Mrs. Davenport, it's not that I _can't_ be a police officer anymore. I was reinstated years ago, even before I solved my wife's murder, but after a short time on the force, I realized that with my consultant work, I had been doing what I had wanted to do all along, with Natalie at my side. So I was happy to turn my badge in and resume what I had been doing before. As for my wife, it's not a secret that I loved her very much. The mystery of her murder tortured me for years. Most of that time, I believed that the bomb had been meant for me, that she was taken from me because I was a cop. Then it turned out not to be the case. The bomb was meant for my wife. I loved Trudy. Her death shattered me emotionally. But then I finally solved the case, and found out exactly why she died. Gradually, I started to realize that I was still alive. Death had parted me from my wife, and eventually I realized that it was time to live again. I couldn't let Natalie marry Lieutenant Albright without telling her how I felt. I've always been hesitant about taking any kind of risk, but Natalie had taught me over the years that it was better to take them instead of allowing opportunities to pass."

Bobby Davenport looked at Adrian Monk, a glance between a father and the man who wants to marry his daughter. "So you love Natalie? As much as you loved your late wife?"

Adrian locked eyes with Natalie. "Every bit as much, Mr. Davenport. The miracle is that she's seen me as a broken man, and still loves me anyway."

Natalie looked at her parents. "This isn't the work of a day for me. You might as well know- I've been in love with him for over five years. I thought I had lost him when he was presumed dead and framed for murder. I only agreed to marry Steven after three years because I thought Adrian would never love me. If I had loved Steven the way I love Adrian, I wouldn't have squandered away three years of my life- I would have married him a long time ago."

Peggy threw up her hands, "This is your decision. You want to spend the rest of your life struggling, when you can be a doctor's wife?"

Natalie clenched her jaw in frustration. "That's what it's always about for you, isn't it, Mom? Do I look like I'm struggling?" She gestured to the obviously expensive pendant Adrian had given her last night. "Does _this_ look like a gift from a man who lives from hand to mouth?"

"Even if I were madly in love with Steven, I would never be a doctor's wife. Not in the way you think. Even if I only felt friendship for this man," as she gestured to Adrian, "I'd still want the adventures we've had together all these years. Did you know our income has increased exponentially over the last three years? This man has given me everything. Even when he was still grieving and hurting, he helped me raise Julie. When she was uncertain about boys, he told her to do what he did...to wait for the right person. Guess what, Mom? She's still waiting, rather than wasting her life on idiots. Have you forgotten that he saved Jonathan's life? You were _so_ eager to see Jonathan marry that crazy bitch that your snobbery thought was just 'wonderful' because she was such a huge phony, while you did nothing but disparage my choice of Julie's father, a good man who loved me, and gave me a beautiful daughter. You couldn't _wait_ to put her picture on your stupid piano, even though she was plotting to murder your son for his money."

Peggy shifted uncomfortably. That had been her very worst moment of poor judgment. But she was stubborn. "I won't deny that Mr. Monk has his talents, but..."

Natalie cut her off. "But what, Mom? But he's not a doctor? He's not a hotshot lawyer? He's not some corporate mogul that comes from the right family and has all the right connections? If I recall, he nailed someone who was 'from the right family' for murdering his own father and stepmother. But I'll tell you what he is- _he is everything to me_. After he solved Trudy's murder, we started to take jobs outside of San Francisco. He trained me in handgun use and did everything to get me licensed as a private investigator, so I would receive the respect he felt I deserved when we were consulting outside of Captain Stottlemeyer's jurisdiction. I don't pretend to have a tenth of the talent that he has. Adrian Monk can make the impossible possible, Mom. He can solve cold cases that have been waiting for years. But when we were outside of San Francisco, he was considerate enough to think I deserved to be treated as his partner, and not just a glorified secretary. He is developing a national reputation as a brilliant private investigator. It won't be long before we have to start turning down potential clients. The City of San Francisco doubled our money just so we would make cases there the top priority."

Bobby actually smiled at his daughter. He had never seen his daughter so fiercely defensive, not even when it came to Mitch. "Well, that's enough for me, honey."

Peggy shot an incredulous look at her husband. "Bobby, we've been planning this wedding..."

"Yes, dear, but there haven't been any invitations sent out. No harm, no foul. We have never been able to make Natalie do anything she didn't want to do. Not to mention that Natalie's right...he did save Jonathan, and that Buchanan kid did murder his father. He almost killed our daughter. Money doesn't buy everything. It doesn't buy morals, and it can't buy love."

"But Natalie," Peggy said in a helpless tone. "Just last night, you told me that wedding invitation was _perfect_."

This time Natalie threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, it was, Mother. It was perfect for me to bring back here last night so I could make the most symbolic gesture of my life. I threw it in the fireplace so I could tell Adrian that I irrevocably belonged to him."

Natalie's father slapped his leg and started laughing. Even Peggy smirked at that mental picture.

"When Steven returns, I will officially break things off and tell him the truth. I care too much about him to do it via email. He deserves better than that. I don't like the idea of hurting him, but I can't marry him. Once that happens, I'm going to marry Adrian. I won't dawdle for three years about it, either. It doesn't matter if you support my decision, because it won't change a thing."

At this last statement, Adrian put his arm around Natalie and kissed her forehead. Natalie wrapped both arms around his waist and smiled up at him,

Bobby stood up and held out his hand to his wife. "Let's go, Peggy. You wanted answers. Now you have them."

Bobby walked over to Adrian and extended his hand. Without hesitation, Adrian grasped it, and smiled at Natalie's father. "Take care of her, Adrian."

"Always, Mr. Davenport."

Peggy finally looked at her daughter and nodded. "Alright, Natalie. Call me when your plans are set."

Natalie exhaled loudly as she heard her father's car drive away. "Well, that's half the battle," she said wryly.

Adrian kissed her softly. "You stood up to your parents for me. Do you know how that makes me feel?"

"I hope it makes you feel good, and secure in how much I love you."

"Yes. But it also makes me wish we weren't so hungry."

"What are you saying, Mr. Monk?"

"I'm not saying anything. I'm promising."

"What kind of promise is that?"

He placed his arm around her as they left the cottage. "It's a promise that I'll still be hungry, even after we're done eating."

Natalie squeezed him tightly. "You better be. Dessert's the best part, anyway."


	12. Chapter 12: The Dynamic Duo

Chapter 12: The Dynamic Duo

It was Sunday afternoon, and Natalie and Adrian had enjoyed lunch with Julie before they left for home. Julie was thrilled to learn that her mom and Mr. Monk were together.

"Now that you've broken the news to Grandma and Grandpa, what's next for the Dynamic Duo?"

Natalie smiled at her daughter's new pet name for them. They really were a team, and would be in every way going forward. "Well, Steven will be back in a few days, and I will tell him."

At Natalie's pained expression, Julie reached out and took her mom's hand. "I know it's not easy, Mom. But it's best for everyone involved, including Steven. He's a nice man, which is why he deserves to find someone who won't be settling for him."

Natalie wiped away a tear. "I know, honey. But hurting someone's feelings is such a hard thing to do, even when it's the right thing."

When they arrived back at Berkeley, Julie and her mom embraced each other. "I'll be home soon, Mom." Then she whispered in her mother's ear. "I'm hoping there will be a wedding to come home to, after all."

Natalie looked over at Adrian who stood by the car, holding the door open. "All he has to do is ask."

Julie smiled as they drove away. She was almost as happy about how things had turned out as Adrian and Natalie were.

Adrian held Natalie's hand as they made the drive back. "Are you still going to stay with me now that we're going home?"

"What are we going to do when the dust settles?"

"Not a metaphor I'm fond of, but what should we do? I think that no matter what we do, it involves me moving out of my apartment."

"I know this much. I don't want to be separated from my handsome detective again. I'll stay with you when we get home, and then we can make our plans. Acting on impulse is how we arrived here to begin with, isn't it?"

Before Adrian could answer, Natalie's phone rang. She pulled it out of her purse. "It's the captain. I guess that means the honeymoon's over."

"Yes, Captain?"

"We have a murder scene in the same apartment building where Madison Taylor was murdered. Where's Monk?"

"He's with me, Captain. We're coming back from Berkeley right now."

"Berkeley," asked Stottlemeyer. "I didn't even know you weren't in town. Why Berkeley?"

Natalie looked over at Adrian and whispered, "You didn't tell him we were going away?"

Stottlemeyer cleared his throat, "Never mind about that, Nat. I'll keep the barricades up until you two can get here."

Natalie hung up. "You didn't tell your best friend and colleague you were leaving town for the weekend?"

Adrian shook his head, never taking his eyes off the road. "I wasn't thinking about work. Besides that, Leland is my oldest friend. He is one of my closest friends. He's stuck his neck out for me more times than I can count. He'll be the best man at our wedding, Natalie. But my best friend is the beautiful girl I've held in my arms every night for the last week. And Natalie?"

"Yes, baby?"

"I told you that I would never get enough of you. The honeymoon will never be over."

"Mr. Monk, you're the boss. But I'm certainly going to hold you to that."

* * *

Leland Stottlemeyer looked like a walking paradox. If ever there were a walking combination of happiness, exhaustion, and slight irritability from being sleep deprived, it was him. But he was absolutely enthralled to be a new father again, and he could hardly keep his baby girl out of his arms when he was at home.

In a strange replay of the previous crime scene, he was surprised to see Monk driving his own car. But the reality was quite different as he watched Adrian and Natalie step out of the car. They were glowing as they approached the crime scene. Initially, they were holding hands, but when the barricade was raised for them, they switched to their usual professional behavior. Stottlemeyer chuckled softly to himself. Whatever had happened after Amanda was born, things had gone Monk's way. Monk and Natalie...it was about time.

Natalie was her usual bubbly self and wore a huge smile.

"This time the victim's male, Monk. He's 26 years old, and his name is James Richards. The apparent cause of death is blunt force trauma to the back of the head, just as it had originally appeared in the case of Madison Taylor."

Monk and Natalie circled the body. The man was shirtless, but otherwise clothed, lying face down on the floor. This time he was totally focused. He stood over the body and tilted his head clockwise. Then he peered through his spread fingers.

"The murders are definitely connected, Captain. The murderer must have been female."

"Female? How did you figure?"

Adrian gestured to a nearby table. "See the dust on this table? There was a statue here of some sort. We're looking for a tabletop replica of 'The Thinker'. Did you get the pathology report back on Madison Taylor?"

"You were right, Monk. The cause of death was poison...sodium hydroxide."

"Oh my God," exclaimed Natalie. "There was lye in the syringe?"

"Monk, where does 'The Thinker' come into play? And why would the murderer be female?"

"The placement of the statue on the back of the head. Madison was already dead when the murderer dragged her body and struck her with the statue. I didn't think about it the other day. There are beveling imprints on Madison Taylor's body, at the base of the neck. The bottom of the statue...it's beveled at the base. But the murderer hit Madison with it as she laid face down, already dead."

Monk turned back to the table and gestured to it once again. "See the two circles that barely overlap? It's almost in the right place, but not quite. It was removed and _almost_ put back into place before the murderer used it on Richards. The reason it's the statue of 'The Thinker' is because of the shape of the bruise. The murderer is almost certainly female because of the fact that when she hit Richards, she held the statue upside down, so the heaviest part would strike him and kill him that much faster. She was shorter, and Richards was standing. After he fell, she hit him again, this time with both hands, and the top of the statue made contact with his back. Look at the bruising on his back, the way it's shaped."

"The Thinker," Natalie pointed.

"Captain, the murders are connected. If I were going to give it my best guess, I would look for a girlfriend. Sweep Madison Taylor's apartment and see if there's anything that matches Richards's DNA. Phone records."

As soon as they had walked away from the crime scene, Stottlemeyer stopped Monk. "Hey, Natalie...I need to talk to Monk for a minute."

Natalie sighed as she headed towards the car. Sometimes men were worse than women. But then again, she supposed Leland deserved a little payback. Monk had figured out he was going to propose to TK and ruined the surprise.

"What were you two doing in Berkeley, Monk?"

Monk said, "Oh...Julie was the lead female role in their production of Ragtime and I went with Natalie to go see it."

"I bet she was fantastic, Monk. But that's not what I'm asking. You wanted advice, and now I want to know what's going on."

"Leland, I'm only going to tell you what you need to know. I can tell you with almost certainty that there's going to be a wedding and _you_, Leland, will be the best man. I'm not waiting. As soon as Albright hits land, Natalie is going to tell him the truth, and then I'm going to ask Natalie to marry me." Adrian's smile was almost angelic. "She chose me, Leland."

Stottlemeyer clapped a hand on Monk's shoulder. "You are the man, Adrian Monk."

Leland grinned as he watched them drive away. He had a beautiful wife, a beautiful new baby girl, and Adrian Monk was happy, at long last.

As they drove home, Natalie was full of curiosity. "What did you tell him, Adrian?"

"Here's the thing, Natalie. Some things don't change. I'm not comfortable sharing those sort of details, even with him, even if he already knows we're sleeping together. You're the only person I'm comfortable with when discussing intimacy. I told him we went to see Julie's musical and that when there was a wedding, he would be my best man. Gentleman don't kiss and tell."

"That's one of the things I love the most about you, Adrian Monk."


	13. Chapter 13: Frolic and Fight

**_Mr. Monk is On the Run_ is my favorite episode of _Monk_. It showcased everything that was great about the dynamics between the characters.**

**Let's get ready to rumble!**

**The first part of this chapter is hot without being explicit. **

Chapter 13: Frolic and Fight

For the past couple of years, Monk and Natalie had a Wednesday afternoon routine. They would walk in the park a few blocks from his apartment. Sometimes they would sit down on a bench and chat about cases, and sometimes they would just walk around and look at the scenery around them- children running happily, families having small picnics, couples lounging underneath shade trees on blankets. Dr. Bell felt it would be a beneficial way for Monk to connect to the world around him, seeing things that weren't necessarily part of observing crime scenes.

Ten days after their return from Berkeley found them part of the scenery instead of merely observing it. Adrian had drawn the line at a picnic. Eating food around dirt, flies, nature in general, was still unfathomable. But he and Natalie did find themselves underneath a shade tree, lounging on a blanket.

At first he said, "I don't really see the point of leaning against this tree." He rolled his shoulders around as if to shake dirt and bark off his clothing.

Natalie dropped to her knees in front of him. "If you don't lean against the tree, then it won't be nearly as comfortable for us to do this." She turned around and leaned against his chest, stretching her legs out and crossing her ankles.

Adrian's arms locked around her waist and he exhaled softly. "Why didn't we do this last week?"

"It had rained the day before. I knew you would never agree to this if the possibility of mud were involved."

Smiling, he laced his hands with hers. "You make so much of it go away. I'm not even thinking about all of the nature danger. I love you."

Lost in their own little world, they talked and laughed together.

"Adrian?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know what was the first thing I loved about you?"

"No, you never told me."

"I loved watching you work."

Adrian's eyes opened and he looked down at her. "_Watching me work_?"

"Yes," Natalie exclaimed. She held his hands up in the air. "I would watch you bend to the side, and hold your hands up like so." She spread his fingers apart. Laughing, she said, "I tried that a couple of times, but by then I knew there was no one in the world like you."

Natalie sat up, rubbing her arms. "I just had a chill!"

"I can take care of that. _Come here_."

Natalie went into Adrian's outstretched arms, and he drew his overcoat around her. "Better?"

She rested her cheek against his chest. "Much better." Natalie inhaled deeply. "I've always loved the way you smell, too. It's almost all you. I can smell your shower gel, but the rest of it is uniquely you."

"The first thing I loved about you is your attitude. I marveled at how you had lost your husband and managed to stay positive, happy, sane."

"It was Julie. It was all Julie. Mitch was gone, but I still had her. She needed me. But feeling, feeling happy solely for myself didn't come until I started to work for you." Natalie looked up at him. "You know what I want to do? What would please me?"

Adrian kissed her hair. His soft baritone rumbled in his chest. "Anything you want."

"I want to make you feel the way you make me feel."

At this, Monk sat up and looked confused. "Natalie, you already make me feel the same way you do."

Natalie shook her head at this. "You don't get what I mean. You're very demanding when we're alone, and always take control of the situation. I don't mean that in a negative way. I feel like I'm floating on air and drowning in honey at the same time while you make love to me. But I would like to return the favor."

Adrian twisted his neck a bit. "Natalie, I don't want to hurt you."

She laughed, "Hurt me? The closest you've come to hurting me is scraping my face with your stubble. I've surrendered to you. I want you to surrender to me."

His breath caught, "Sometimes I have to rein myself in as it is. Losing control would..."

"Would be an enormous turn-on," Natalie finished. Burrowed underneath his overcoat, she lightly kissed him behind his ear and down the side of his neck. Her fingers traveled up and down his ribcage. "We could treat it like a job," she whispered. "I'm not the brilliant Adrian Monk but he's taught me more than a few tricks. We could...you know, go visit the scene, and I could start to look for clues. You could let me take charge of the investigation." She gave him her most sultry smile.

Adrian started to tremble and he ran his fingers through Natalie's hair. "God, Natalie...you don't know what you're doing to me."

"Oh yes, I do. I want to do to you what you've done to me. I want to please you."

"Good _God_, Natalie...you already please me. I love you so much," he groaned.

"Nope. It's not the same. And I love you, too. Trust me."

Adrian drew a finger down her cheek and said, "You know I do."

He bent down to kiss her, but it wasn't enough to release any of the sexual tension between them. Adrian's voice was ragged as he finally said, "We have a choice, Natalie. We either go home or call Captain Stottlemeyer."

"Why would we call Captain Stottlemeyer?"

"Because if I don't get you home, he's going to have to come and arrest us for indecent exposure." He released her and jumped up, and held out his hand to her. "Grab the blanket."

They were about to hurry off when an angry voice behind them said, "It's a good thing I'm not a cop because I think I'd throw your ass in jail myself, Mr. Monk." Both of them jumped when they turned around to face an angry Lieutenant Steven Albright.

* * *

Lieutenant Steven Albright, by unforeseen luck, had arrived home three days earlier than his scheduled return. At first, he thought he would go to Natalie's house. Then he remembered it was Wednesday and 2:00 in the afternoon. He would probably find her taking the weekly stroll around the park with her boss. After changing clothes and picking up his car, he drove over to Adrian Monk's apartment and began the short walk to the nearby park.

At first, he was a bit confused, because he didn't see the familiar blonde head walking with her boss. He was actually wondering if Natalie would ever leave her job with Adrian Monk. Two years ago, he had trained her in handgun usage, police knowledge and procedure, and pulled all the strings, using Natalie's years of assistance to him to have her licensed as a private investigator. Natalie said she liked the adventure. Her boss was quirky, and had his compulsions, but he was a different man than he had been when Albright first met Adrian Monk all those years ago. He had told her that soon she wouldn't have to work at all, but she had always said she loved her job. She said that she did something that was meaningful- helping Monk solve murder investigations. She didn't have the Rain Man thing going on the way Monk did, but she had a better head on her than a lot of cops did.

He knew that Natalie had a gentle and affectionate manner with her boss, but nothing prepared him for the sight he saw in the park. Then he realized why she never entertained the idea of leaving her job. There sat his fiancée, underneath a tree with her boss. He shook his head because to his knowledge, Adrian Monk had never shown any romantic interest in any woman. But his eyes weren't fooling him. Monk had his arms wrapped around Natalie, practically making love to her with his eyes as they talked and laughed, his lips occasionally caressing the top of her head. He watched Natalie turn around as Monk enveloped her in his arms, underneath his overcoat. The worst part of it all was that Natalie was wearing a look on her face that she had never favored him with. She was _passionately_ in love with him. It was no wonder that women chuckled among themselves about the stupidity of men. He was too stupid to see how torn apart she was when Monk was dying, too stupid to see she had loved him for years. Growing angrier by the second, he decided to approach them from behind, and see if he could hear what they were discussing.

They were secluded from most public view, underneath a shade tree. His military training enabled him to slip off his shoes and approach in silence. What he heard further confirmed what his eyes had already told him.

_"God, Natalie...you don't know what you're doing to me."_

_"Oh yes, I do. I want to do to you what you've done to me. I want to please you."_

_"Good **God**, Natalie...you already please me. I love you so much," he groaned._

_"Nope. It's not the same. And I love you, too. Trust me."_

_He watched as Monk drew a finger down Natalie's cheek. "You know I do."_

_They started to kiss and then they broke apart. The detective's voice was ragged as he finally said, "We have a choice, Natalie. We either go home or call Captain Stottlemeyer."_

_"Why would we call Captain Stottlemeyer?"_

_"Because if I don't get you home, he's going to have to come and arrest us for indecent exposure." Monk released her and jumped up, and held out his hand to her. "Grab the blanket."_

They were about to hurry away when they heard his voice. "It's a good thing I'm not a cop because I think I'd throw your ass in jail myself, Mr. Monk."

Natalie was shaken to the core to find herself face-to-face with Steven. She had wanted to tell him privately, quietly. But now he had found out in the worst manner possible. "Steven! I...I thought you weren't coming home until Saturday."

Albright's face was stone as he said, "Gee, Nat. Lucky me."

Monk knew Natalie needed him. "Lieutenant, this is _my_ fault. I..."

Albright whirled around to Monk, "Shut up. I'm _so sorry_ I interrupted, Mr. Monk." He growled in a lower voice. "Don't pretend that she wasn't an active participant as you were about to take her home and _fuck her brains out_." Then the Navy officer doubled up his fist and went for the punch.

Adrian Monk was no longer a police officer with the San Francisco Police Department, but he was still a cop. Instinct took over, and he was still the man who had dispatched the knife-wielding Frank Nunn without a firearm. He deftly blocked the punch, and then grabbed Albright's arm and held it behind his back in an arrest hold. "I'm not going to let you hit me, and you're going to watch your _filthy_ mouth in front of Natalie!"

"Let me go, you son-of-a-bitch! The two of you can _do_ it, but I can't say it? No wonder you got her licensed and trained her in weapons and police procedure, Monk. You couldn't let her go. How long has this been going on? Months? Years?" Albright's blue eyes were icy with rage as he glared at Natalie. "Were you _ever_ going to tell me? Or was it going to be a big secret just like any other slut who steps out while her man's deployed?"

At this, Adrian absolutely snapped. He loosened the hold he had on Albright's arm, jerked him around and punched him. Albright reeled back, his lip bloodied. He stared at Adrian. "Think you're tough for an old man?"

"What I _think_ you're going to do is shut up or I'll _shut you up_!"

Natalie was hysterical by this point. She tried to step between the two of them. "Stop it, both of you!"

"Natalie, I can't let him talk to you that way!"

"Let him protect your honor, Nat," sneered Albright. "I'm surprised he has the balls to do it."

Natalie turned to Adrian and looked at him. "Please, Adrian."

Adrian's eyes softened for a moment. "Alright, Natalie. Let me handle this. I won't stand for him talking to you that way." He circled around Natalie and stood protectively in front of her.

"You're going to listen to me, Lieutenant." There was steel in Adrian's voice as he pointed at Albright. "Not one more filthy insult about Natalie out of your mouth. It's been going on for three weeks. She intended to tell you as soon as you came back. She didn't know you were coming back early."

Albright rolled his eyes. "Oh, she didn't know I was coming home early. Then that makes everything different. Natalie, you're throwing away our relationship of over three years for a short fling with your boss?"

Tears streamed down Natalie's face. "I didn't mean for you to find out this way. I wanted to tell you in private. I can't marry you. This isn't a short fling. I'm sorry. I hated the idea of you being hurt in all of this, but I didn't want to send you an email telling you I couldn't marry you. But I'm in love with him. I have been for years."

"So you agreed to marry me, knowing you were in love with him?"

"I never told him I loved him. I only confided once, years ago, to a close friend."

Albright shook his head. "It's always been him, hasn't it? I watched both of you for 20 minutes. You've never looked at me that way." He looked over at Monk. "You...you were always about your late wife. But now all you can see is her."

"Yes," Monk whispered. "All I can see is Natalie."

"What changed, Monk?"

"I started to wake up. You asked her to marry you. I couldn't let that happen without telling her I loved her. I had no idea that she had ever loved me until three weeks ago."

"Steven," interjected Natalie. "I thought I had buried it all. I thought I was over him. I never meant to hurt you."

Albright looked at Monk. "I'm not the only fool here. I don't know why you never saw it. The way she would always take your arm when she walked with you. I don't see how I missed it. When you were dying, all she did was sob uncontrollably. Then she picked up one of your stupid wipes and then she was poisoned. She might have died, too. But all she could do was _ask for you_, _ask about you_. I heard about how unhinged she was when she thought you were dead...that she tracked you down and went on the run with you, and helped you clear your name. But I told myself that it was before I entered her life. When she didn't start dropping hints about marriage, I assumed it was because she didn't want to risk being a Navy widow again. I should have known. She's _never_ looked at me that way. She never even looked at Mitch that way."

Then he turned to Natalie, "Can he make you happy?"

Natalie nodded. "I'm sorry, Steven. He's the only one who can. It _has_ always been him."

"I'm sorry too, Nat."

Natalie reached in her handbag and pulled out the ring she hadn't even looked at since she removed it from her finger. "I didn't want to humiliate you. I intended to tell you the moment you came home, in private."

"I'm sorry I said those things to you, Natalie. I'm going to go by your place, and get the things I've kept there. Then I'll drop the key off at the police station, with Stottlemeyer. Is that okay with you?"

Natalie silently nodded.

Albright turned to Monk and looked at him, his shoulders slumped. "I ought to hate you, but I can't. There's enough blame to pass around, Monk. We were both blind. Natalie and I really weren't right for each other, were we?"

Monk shook his head and his voice was gentle. "No. But you're better than I am, Lieutenant. If someone tried to take Natalie from me, I would hate their guts."

Natalie walked into Adrian's arms as they watched Steven walk away. Albright turned around and stared at Monk one more time. "Take care of her, Monk."

Adrian merely nodded at him as Natalie buried her head under his neck and started to sob. They stood there for a long time, in a tight embrace.

"That was awful, Adrian. You know I never meant for him to find out this way."

"I know," he whispered. "I'm sorry I hit him. I came unglued when he insulted you."

"I know you did it because you love me. Thank God it's over. The waiting was starting to wear away at my nerves, Adrian."

Adrian kissed her softly and they walked home, his arm wrapped protectively around her.

* * *

Several hours later, Lieutenant Albright walked into the police station. Stottlemeyer was startled at the sight of his bloody lip.

"Did _Monk_ do that to you?"

"I deserved it. I caught them together in the park, and then I said some things to Natalie I shouldn't have said. Monk nearly dislocated my shoulder when I tried to hit him, and then when I said something awful to Natalie, he snapped and busted my lip. I came to drop off my key to Natalie's house."

Stottlemeyer pulled a bottle of whiskey and a glass out of his desk. "You look like you could use a drink."

"You knew, Captain." Albright shook his head. "I'm not even the husband, and I was the last to figure it out."

"Not by much, Lieutenant. Monk didn't know until I told him. We all knew, but Natalie had never confided to anyone except my wife."

Albright accepted the drink gratefully. "I underestimated him."

Stottlemeyer laughed. "You wouldn't be the first. It took time for me to learn not to do that, Albright."

"No, I mean- he was so angry when I insulted Natalie. I think he could have kicked my ass."

"He was a cop. One of the best to ever wear a badge. They all think of him as this harmless, but genius crime-solving machine. The reason he wound up framed for murder is he went to the man who set off the bomb that killed his wife. Frank Nunn was wielding a blade at Monk. It didn't faze him at all, because he proceeded to disarm him with his bare hands, and then he beat the holy hell out of him before he finally pulled his gun on him."

"Is that when everyone knew Natalie loved him?"

Stottlemeyer nodded. "Everyone except Monk. He couldn't see the forest for the trees in those days. Natalie threw me out of her house because she thought I shot and killed him. I won't lie, Lieutenant. Monk is like a brother to me. I'm thrilled they're together. But look at it this way, Albright. You'll eventually land on your feet. I don't think Monk could even _breathe_ without Natalie."


	14. Chapter 14: A Perfect Ten

**Much shorter chapter, guys! Fluff devoted to our favorite couple!**

Chapter 14: A Perfect Ten

Natalie stood in Monk's kitchen, fussing over his hand.

"I didn't even break the skin! It's barely going to bruise."

"I don't care, go and wash it. You can't tell me Adrian Monk doesn't want to wash his hands." Natalie dragged him over to the kitchen sink.

"Not when I need to comfort you, Natalie. That's my responsibility...no, it's my _privilege_ now. You've taken care of me all these years. I want to take care of you. Albright was right in one regard. I was crazy not to see it. What other explanation could there be for you putting up with me all these years? Tracking me down in Nevada and then crying in my arms because you thought I was dead. You risked your own life and freedom to help me regain mine. I never knew about the other...when we were poisoned. You might have died, and he said all you could think of was me. That's one of the reasons I threw out all the wipes and never looked back. It wasn't just the fact I was poisoned- it almost killed you, too. All you could think of was me, and I never saw it. i never saw the miracle before my eyes. I was grieving and broken, frightened and alone, and you fell in love with me, even then. I should have realized that after you came into my life, I was never alone. That's one of the reasons you came after me, isn't it?"

Natalie started to sniffle at that long ago personal hell where she thought he was dead. "Yes. Once I knew you were alive, I couldn't stand the thought of you being alone."

Natalie shook her head, as if to shake off the memory. "I never should have accepted his proposal. Now that I have been with you, I know there is no comparison. I still feel like an awful person."

Adrian drew her into his arms. "No, you're a wonderful person. You just made a mistake. We _all_ make mistakes. I made a mistake when I left that Christmas present unopened for 12 long years. I made a mistake by not summoning up enough courage to tell you how I felt before Albright even proposed. He was right when he said I couldn't let you go. Yes, I wanted you to be respected, no matter where we were on the job. But I wanted you to stay with me. I _never_ want to let you go, Natalie."

Natalie picked up his right hand and kissed his knuckles. "I love you so much. I will never leave you. I'm afraid you're stuck with me, Adrian Monk." For the first time in hours, she smiled. "Were you serious about that 'indecent exposure' business, Adrian?"

Adrian started to laugh. "Maybe it's a good thing he showed up when he did. You had worked me up into a frenzy, Natalie. Just with a few words and kisses. I was crazed with wanting you. Sometimes I can't believe you're attracted to me sexually. The thought of you wanting me drives away rational thought. What I really wanted to do was have you right under that tree. Nature danger be damned."

"I can't look at you without my heart starting to ache because I want you so much. It might not be under the tree, but you can still have me. Forget what I suggested earlier, though." Then she started to laugh hysterically at Monk's scowling face. "Ah, so I _did_ make you curious?"

"Yes! I was about to take you home and let you rip my clothes off and deal with whatever happened, Natalie."

Natalie buried her head under his chin. "We'll revisit it another day. I promise. If you want to comfort me, just take me to bed now and make love to me. Do you remember how angry I was with you after our first night together?"

"You kicked me out."

"Well, Captain Stottlemeyer basically told me to get down to the crime scene that morning because you weren't on the ball. Once I saw you, I couldn't leave you again. We came back here, made love, and erased some of the harsh words we had exchanged."

"Thank God," he agreed. "I was lying awake, staring at the ceiling and unable to sleep when he called. All I wanted to do was get out of bed and return to you."

"I know," Natalie replied. "I wanted to get in my car and come after you. But we came back here and it helped us arrive where we are right now. It's strange...I felt liberated that night I told you that you were my choice, but it wasn't until that awful business in the park today that I realized how much waiting for him to come back so I could really be free was weighing on me."

Adrian looked down. "I really need to get better at thinking more of you. All this time I thought of how badly I wanted him to come back so we could move forward. I didn't think of how hard it would be on you...until I saw your face."

"That's what love is, Adrian. You know about each other's flaws, and then you love them anyway. In some cases, especially yours, I love some of your flaws. Now I just want you to take me to bed and make me feel good. I felt so badly over all of this. Being close to you makes me feel better."

"Come on," he smiled. "I'll erase it all away for you. I want to take away your pain as you've always relieved my suffering. Besides, you are now officially and totally unencumbered by any other man except me."

As they made love that night, it was slow, quiet, beautiful. When it was over, they both clung to each other as they struggled to calm down. Adrian had been especially gentle with her. It had bothered him- the way Albright had referred to their relationship. He used those vulgar words to cheapen it and he felt the need to reiterate to Natalie that nothing about their intimacy was cheap or meaningless. But there was one thing more he could do to reassure her that everything they did together, even in the most heated passion, was beautiful to him beyond belief.

Adrian opened his nightstand drawer and fumbled around until he found what he was looking for.

"Natalie?"

He felt her smile against his chest. "Hmm?"

"Look at me."

She tilted her head up and stared at him with her beautiful blue eyes. She was always so beautiful to him after they made love...her hair was tousled and her lips were slightly swollen.

"I've been thinking about this since we were at Berkeley. I thought about how I was going to do it, I tried dreaming up elaborate plans of doing it. You told your parents you didn't want to wait. I hope you meant it, because I don't want to wait, either. Not one day longer than I have to. I want to marry you, and I made a leap of faith in Berkeley. Do you remember the day you and Julie went out for lunch and I told you I would meet up with you later?"

"I teased you about the dorm refrigerator. I wish I hadn't, baby. Especially after that jerk approached you during intermission," replied Natalie.

"You can tease me. I love it when you tease me. Your eyes sparkle with mischief. But when I was out buying your necklace, I also bought this."

Natalie sat up, eyes widening. "You bought this in Berkeley?"

"I made a leap of faith and took a risk."

"You hate risk," she smirked. "And heights...and milk...and naked people."

"I don't 'hate' any of it as much as I love you, Natalie. Marry me?"

"Yes."

"Say it again," he demanded.

"Oh, yes..." she breathed.

He took her hand and slid her engagement ring on her finger. One larger round diamond with two smaller diamonds on each side, set in white gold."

"I'm so glad you didn't wait. I can't wait to start my life with you, Adrian. I don't ever want to be separated from you again." Natalie's face glistened with tears.

Adrian held her tightly and whispered, "I can't get close enough. Do you like the ring?"

"_I_ love it. I think it's perfect. But I'm rather surprised you did."

"Why would you say that?"

"There's five stones. An odd number."

Monk started to laugh. "I thought you would notice that. Here's the thing...I already bought the matching wedding band, and it also has five stones. When we put them together, it will be a perfect 10."

"Now _that_ is the Monk I fell in love with."

"Psst, Natalie!"

"Yesssss?"

Monk's smile was almost diabolical. "I don't hate _all_ naked people. In fact, I think you appear to your best advantage that way. Come here...I think it's time we celebrated our engagement."


	15. Chapter 15: Telling the World

**I am absolutely proud of Chapter 13. I wanted a way for Albright to see Monk and Natalie in a position that could not be misinterpreted. So I invented the park routine. I thought it was a great blend of romance, uncontrolled desire tempered by their love, anger and resignation from Albright, and we got to see our favorite detective protect his lady! A lot of this is filler, but no Monk story in this timeline would be complete without Dr. Bell. Adrian's concerned about Natalie after the things Albright said, and then the rest of the gang has to find out, too.**

Chapter 15: Telling the World

Friday morning found Dr. Neven Bell driving up to see Adrian Monk and Natalie Teeger waiting for him to open his office. These days, he usually only saw Adrian every couple of weeks. This happened without fail, but Adrian had cancelled his appointment two weeks ago. The psychiatrist was naturally curious about what was going on in the world of Adrian Monk- he sometimes deferred a session by a day or two, but he never cancelled and waited for the next scheduled session.

The scene was familiar, yet different. Their eyes never left each other's as they were talking as they waited. They were standing closer to each other than usual as well. Adrian Monk was wearing an expression Dr. Bell had never seen before...that of absolute bliss.

Dr. Bell opened his office door and Adrian looked at Natalie and smiled at her. "I won't be long."

Adrian took his usual seat and Dr. Bell picked up his letter pad.

"I haven't seen you in nearly a month, Adrian. I was surprised when you cancelled your last session without rescheduling."

Adrian steepled his fingers and said, "I've been busy, Dr. Bell. In fact, I'm not really here because of me. I'm here because of Natalie. Everything is because of Natalie." Adrian drew a deep breath. "Dr. Bell, Natalie and I are getting married."

At this, Dr. Bell dropped his pen. "Come again?"

Adrian smiled broadly. "Natalie and I are getting married."

"I know I heard you right, Adrian. I know why Natalie wants to marry you, but can you tell me why you want to marry her?"

Adrian's face dropped. "Did everyone _except_ me know? I'm the guy they call when they want someone to see something that your average homicide detective can't see, and I never knew. Natalie's not even your patient."

"Yes, but reading people and analyzing them is my business. You had other things in your way. But why have you decided you wish to marry Natalie?"

"That's the easy part. I love her. I couldn't let her marry another man without telling her how I felt. I'm really here because of her. It was hard for her, breaking things off with Lieutenant Albright. She's been down on herself. He called her a name I can't even repeat, and I think part of her believes that's true. I don't want her to think of herself that way."

Dr. Bell tilted his head, and looked Adrian right in the eyes. "When he called her that name, how did that make you feel, Adrian?"

Enraged at the memory enough to be frank, "I threw my fist back and busted his lip. I might have done worse than that if Natalie weren't so upset."

Dr. Bell just smiled at Adrian, "I don't know what to say. Your concern for Natalie is remarkable, and finally remarrying is a huge step. Do you mind if I speak to her in private, Adrian?"

"Not at all. I'll get her and I'll wait outside," and he hurried out into the waiting room.

"Dr. Bell wants to see you, and speak to you in private."

Natalie's mouth fell open, "Me?"

Adrian knelt down and clasped her hands. "It's okay. Do it for me. I'll wait out here."

Natalie's initial apprehension started to melt away at the sight of Dr. Bell's welcoming smile.

"Adrian just told me the wonderful news. He's worried about you. He said that breaking things off with Lieutenant Albright had made you feel badly about yourself."

Natalie covered her face with her hands. "I feel awful. I dated him for over three years, and even agreed to marry him..."

"And all the while, you were in love with Adrian."

"Was I that obvious? Even Steven said he just ignored all the signs."

"You didn't want to be alone, Natalie. You thought your feelings were never going to be returned. You called things off before you married, Natalie. You aren't the first person to call off an engagement because going through with the wedding would be the wrong thing to do. In your case, it was unrequited love finally reciprocated. Which brings me to another subject, Natalie. Adrian has always been a private man. He has never really discussed the more personal aspects of his marriage to Trudy. Dr. Kroger's case file said he spent an entire session singing just to avoid the subject."

Natalie flushed from her collarbone to her hairline. There was no way that she could ever tell anyone, even his own psychiatrist, about her fiancé's encompassing need to explore her intimately. "That hasn't changed, Dr. Bell. Adrian is still a very private man. I will only tell you this, from my perspective alone. After Mitch was killed, it was a long time before I started dating again. There were others, even before Steven. These past three weeks have been more than I ever dreamed they could possibly be. It's only made me wish I had done one thing, Dr. Bell."

"What would that be, Natalie?"

"The same thing Adrian did, Dr. Bell. Wait for the real thing and take a vow of celibacy until the real thing comes. As bad as I felt about the confrontation with Steven, a major question, one that you're probably wondering about, was answered. When Steven asked him what happened- what had changed things, Adrian said he woke up. He said, 'All I can see is Natalie.'"

Dr. Bell smiled at Natalie. "A real breakthrough. Be happy, Natalie. Don't believe things that were said to you in anger. Think of the big picture- you did the right thing. Now that you and Adrian are getting married, you're never going to find yourself in that situation again. Think about a wedding, think about a honeymoon, think about the life the two of you have been slowly building these past eight years. Adrian was consumed with Trudy's murder, but he recognized something within you when you came into his life. He's wanted you at his side ever since, even after he stopped needing someone to help him function. Don't look back."

Natalie found herself tearing up because it was true- they had been moving towards this, more slowly than she would have liked. But love had called twice, for both of them. "Thank you, Dr. Bell."

Out of respect for the new parents, Adrian and Natalie decided to go visit Leland and TK at their house to announce the happy news. After presenting gifts for their new godchild, Adrian stood up and held his hand out to Natalie. He looked like a kid at Christmas. "Natalie and I have something we want to tell you."

Natalie held her left hand up in the air. "I'd squeal, but I don't want to wake the baby...we're getting married!"

After hugs and well-wishes were exchanged, Natalie and TK slipped off to the nursery. In that way only mothers can, they cooed over the tiny sleeping girl.

"She is so precious, TK. How is the new dad holding up?"

TK smiled dreamily, "This one has Daddy wrapped around her tiny little finger. I never knew I could find so much happiness in being a mother, Natalie. I feel like our life is complete."

"There's nothing in the world like it," Natalie agreed. "Julie was my reason for living after Mitch died. I'll tell you a secret. Adrian and I are going to try to have a baby after we get married. I think about carrying his child, and my head starts to spin."

_Three years ago, shortly after she and Adrian had recovered from being poisoned, Natalie had just buckled underneath everything that had happened. She had just wept brokenly while TK comforted her. "Steven is kind and handsome and...normal, but he isn't Mr. Monk. I'm going to go to my grave in love with him. When he was dying, I thought I was going to die too- even before I wound up poisoned myself. I stay with him because I just want to take what I can get. I'm his friend, his companion, and I help him solve cases. I can't give him up."_

"I wonder when I'm ever going to stop underestimating you, Monk. I thought that guy was going to take you apart, but he said you almost dislocated his shoulder when he tried to hit you. He said you were going to kick his ass." Monk and Stottlemeyer sat out on the back porch, watching the inevitable fog to start to set in as night fell.

"He disrespected Natalie and my relationship with her. I wanted to beat the hell out of him. He called Natalie a slut." Adrian's mouth formed the word without making a sound. "After he said I was going to..._you know_...her brains out." Adrian twitched his head and rolled his shoulder.

Leland started laughing. "So you snapped. Albright said he deserved it. I got him a little lit. He looked like he could use a couple of drinks. So, when is the happy day?"

"If I have anything to say about it, the day after Julie comes home for the summer. Maybe something simple on the beach, like you and TK had."

"No fancy Davenport shindig?" Leland smiled, knowing the answer.

"You know Natalie- she doesn't care about that at all. I think I'd climb the walls being surrounded by 400 people they think they have to impress. I hope she agrees with me. I can't wait."

"You're probably right, buddy. I think all she cares about is marrying you, Monk."

That night, after Monk and Natalie left, Leland called Randy and Sharona.

"Randy? If Sharona's there, put her on speaker. I hope you guys can clear your schedules, because you're not gonna believe this..."


	16. Chapter 16: A Long Time Coming

Chapter 16: A Long Time Coming

"Wait a sec, Captain. Did you just say _Adrian Monk_ is getting married?"

"Yes, I did, Randy," replied Leland.

"Are we talking about the same guy? Black hair, brown eyes, wears a lot of brown clothing?"

"Well...he doesn't wear brown so much anymore, but yes, we're talking about the same guy."

Sharona's voice piped up. "I think you better get ready to pay up, Randy. Hand over the wallet. Who's he marrying, Leland?"

"Hope the bet wasn't too big, Randy. Here's the short version. Monk went to Natalie, and told her he loved her. She dumped the Navy doctor, and now they're engaged. Monk wants to marry her as soon as Julie comes home for the summer."

"Leland! That's three weeks away! I don't know if I can leave the station right now."

"Don't listen to him, Leland. You give us a date, and we'll get on a plane. Adrian's getting married!"

"Pay up, Randy," Leland taunted. "I told Monk years ago that woman would crawl through Hell for him. This is a long time coming."

* * *

Meanwhile, back in 2G, Natalie was pacing the floor.

"Adrian, what could they possibly want?"

"I don't know, Natalie. Maybe they just want to come to the wedding."

Natalie put her hand up. "Adrian, my parents don't visit me. I visit them! They summon me to stately Davenport Manor."

Adrian came up behind Natalie and began massaging her shoulders. "Don't worry about this, Natalie. Nothing could possibly be as uncomfortable as the conversation we had with them at Berkeley."

Natalie turned around and just stared. "Adrian Monk, who died and made _you_ an optimist?"

Snaking his arms around her waist, Adrian kissed her on the neck. "No one died, but how can I be pessimistic when you said you would marry me?"

"I can't think straight when you do that!"

"Then don't think at all...let me help you relax." He started to slide his hands underneath her sweater.

"I never thought you would turn out to be such a sex fiend." But she didn't stop the warm hands that began to unclasp her bra.

"Not a sex fiend, per se. Just you...I can't think of even _touching_ another woman, in any manner."

Natalie sighed. "That's one of the sexiest things a man can say to a woman, Adrian. You're the only man I know who would never consider sex without love. That and I think all of you is sexy...the eyes, the jawline, that baritone voice of yours that is just beautiful to listen to, whether you're telling me 'what happened' or talking to me in bed...watching you walk to the shower every morning."

Adrian sat in his chair and pulled Natalie into his lap. "One of these days, I'm going to figure out exactly how you can see me that way. In the meantime, I'm going to make you forget about everything else. We're getting married. Your parents can't do anything to stop it, Natalie. Even I'm secure enough in that knowledge. If there's anything to worry about, you know that I'm more than capable of worrying enough for the both of us." He drew her sweater over her head.

Natalie's hands went to the buttons on his shirt. "Don't you want to go to bed?"

Adrian tilted his head thoughtfully. "Here's the thing- we'll be married soon, I'll be moving out soon enough, and so far, we've only made love in the bedroom and the shower."

Later on that night, they were lying in bed together. Adrian rolled over on his side, slightly leaning over her. Their faces were almost touching as his free hand stroked her cheek. His voice was soft, concerned. "I saw the look on your face when you were holding Amanda. I wanted to tell you something."

Natalie smiled up at him. "She's precious. When you're ready, we can talk..."

"When _you're_ ready, Natalie."

"When I'm ready?"

"I know that we don't have forever to try to conceive. So after we're married, whenever you're ready, I'm ready," he reassured her.

"I'm 43. I don't know how much longer I have, and I don't know how long it will take to get pregnant."

Adrian nuzzled her neck. "Mmm, a younger woman. How did I get so lucky?"

Looking back up at her, he told her the truth. "As much as I would love to have you to myself for a few years, I know our window is limited. Besides, I had no idea how much I wanted to look at you holding our child in your arms until I saw you tonight. The look on Leland's face when he ran into the waiting room...that's a feeling I want for myself."

A wicked smile spread on Natalie's face. "I know one thing, detective. We are going to have a great time trying."

Once again, the Davenports found themselves sitting across from Adrian and Natalie, except this time, their purpose was not to interrogate.

Bobby and Peggy Davenport were in a remarkably chipper mood to be "slumming it" because they were both wearing smiles upon catching sight of Natalie. The light had been gone from Natalie's eyes for so long that they had forgotten what it looked like. They had come to realize that it was because of the man standing next to their daughter, his arm protectively wrapped around her shoulders.

Natalie's eyes widened because she realized her mother was wearing a genuine smile, and not the fake one she usually wore for her so-called friends.

After the big showdown in Berkeley, Bobby and Peggy had come to face some of their episodes of poor judgment...the mess with Jonathan, and ever contemplating that Paul Buchanan would be a good match for their daughter. Adrian Monk had hurried to Natalie's rescue and saved her life. They had also finally determined that they had hurt Natalie and Julie when they had so vehemently disapproved of Mitch Teeger. They had decided it was a mistake they did not wish to risk repeating.

Peggy glanced at Adrian, as though seeing him for the first time. She didn't think he had Steven Albright's stunning good looks, but the dark, handsome detective had an appealing intensity about him, and it was obvious that Natalie was the center of his world. He might not be someone from their circles, but the Davenports had decided there was no shame in having an admittedly brilliant son-in-law that had a renowned reputation for accomplishing the seemingly impossible.

As the Davenport's sat on the sofa in the apartment, Natalie and Adrian sat on the arm of his chair, shoulders touching in solidarity.

Bobby smiled at the couple and said, "I know you're wondering why we're here. Your mother and I have done a lot of thinking and we have decided that when you're ready, we want to have your wedding on our estate."

Natalie and Adrian exchanged shocked glances.

Peggy raised a hand up. "Hear us out, Natalie. We don't have to have anything except a small, intimate wedding with only the people you choose to invite. No long guest list of strangers you've never met and people you don't care about. You tell us when, and we supply the where."

"Mom, we were actually planning to get married the day after Julie comes home for the summer."

"We've already predicted that. We took you at your word, Natalie. You said you weren't waiting."

"Honey, your mother and I have demonstrated some less than exemplary judgment, and we want this to be our wedding gift to you. Invite your friends, we'll arrange the minister and small-scale photography and refreshments, and give me the chance to give my daughter away." Bobby smiled at Natalie.

Natalie looked her mother in the eyes. "No country club friends? I would feel claustrophobic and uncomfortable with 400 strangers around, to say nothing of what it might do to Adrian."

Peggy nodded firmly. "Only the people you want to invite." Then she turned to Adrian. "Mr. Monk, I said some things the other day that I probably should not have said."

"Mrs. Davenport, your daughter is my most beautiful treasure. I understand how it feels to be protective of those you love."

Natalie looked at her fiancé. "Well, what do you think? They've promised us simple, unpretentious, without hundreds of people we don't know witnessing our special day."

"I think we should do it, Natalie. Most of us never get a second chance to have our parents admit to the error of their ways."

"Okay, Mom. As long as you promise, we accept."


	17. Chapter 17: Now Stay Put

**This chapter is for mature audiences only. If you thought Chapter 3 was too provocative for your sensibilities then you probably want to skip it. It's not integral to the story, just my best effort at a highly descriptive sexual encounter for those who are dying to read one.**

Chapter 17: Now Stay Put

It was Saturday, May 4th, less than two weeks before Julie was coming home for the semester. Adrian had mysteriously disappeared with Leland earlier that morning and Natalie had spent the time working on the paperwork end of their consulting work. Natalie leaned back from her bookkeeping with a smile- in two weeks, they would be married.

Her reverie was interrupted by hearing Adrian come up the staircase. He was humming a tune she couldn't make out, but it meant he was surely in a happy mood. They hadn't left the house without each other at all, but Natalie had been planning for the opportunity to greet him as he came home. She heard the door open and she leapt up and ran into Adrian's arms, locking her legs around his waist.

"Mmm, honey, I missed you," she whispered between kisses.

Adrian had briefly stumbled but he wasn't about to drop Natalie when she leapt into his arms. He met her mouth with his, then murmured, "If that's the greeting I get, I think I need to leave more often."

Natalie had been planning this for days...the moment she would pounce on him and take charge. She started to unbutton his shirt, and pull it out of his pants. "I've been planning this, you know." She hopped down and pushed him against the wall, and started to press her body against his, slowly kissing him behind his ear.

Adrian's pulse started to race as he whispered, "What plans have you been making?"

"I promised we would revisit this, remember," she purred, shoving Adrian's shirt off his shoulders.

Adrian's mouth went dry. His mind went back to that day in the park and the gift didn't fail. Perfect recall reminded him exactly what Natalie wanted from him. "I said you already please me," he panted, as her lips slid down to his collarbone.

Natalie pulled his undershirt off and tossed it on the floor. "And I said it's not the same. Today, I'm the detective."

Adrian was lost as she tugged on his belt and dragged him to the bedroom. His hands went to the zipper on the back of her pencil skirt, but then Natalie slapped his hands away and stepped back. "Oh no...you are going to sit and watch. You're the man that remembers everything...remember _this_," as she began to deliberately, provocatively strip for him.

Monk had few male friends, and so had never been to any bachelor parties. His own reticent nature would have made it impossible to be around a scantily clad or topless woman dancing for the entertainment of all the men present. He didn't drink, so he couldn't even do that to loosen his inhibitions. Not to mention the fact that once he met Trudy, the very idea of being in such a setting was unacceptable to him- felt like infidelity. Now that he was in love with Natalie, his sentiments still hadn't changed. But he had no guilt whatsoever watching the woman he loved slowly disrobe for the sole intention of driving him crazy. He thought it was the most erotic thing he had ever seen.

At last she stood naked before him and he was grateful to be sitting down because he felt his legs turning to jelly. Then he reached to take Natalie in his arms, and then she deftly swerved away from him. She shook her finger at him. "No way, lover. I'm in charge of this investigation." Natalie shoved his shoulders back and straddled him.

Adrian could barely breathe as her hands slid up his bare chest and she began to relentlessly torment him with her lips and fingers. Bent over one of his nipples, she began to flick it with her tongue. He only thought he was aroused until she suddenly started to suck it, first gently, and then hard. He cried out and clasped Natalie's head to his chest.

Natalie raised her head and looked him dead in the eyes. "Does that please you?"

"Oh God, you're tormenting me."

"Good." Then she bent down again and started on the other one.

Natalie used her lips and tongue all over his torso, languidly running her tongue over the sensitive skin over his ribcage. Then she started to move her head back upwards towards his neck.

Adrian groaned loudly and then pulled Natalie upwards, meeting her lips with his own- locking his arms around her back and crushing her to him.

Natalie felt a jolt of heightened arousal as his tongue slipped into her mouth and his hands moved up to hold her face firmly to his- he had never kissed her this hard before. But she wasn't done with him, not by a long shot. She took her hands and pushed his arms down on the mattress. She slid her hands up to his wrists. Part of Natalie wanted to give in and let him take control, but she couldn't let that happen...they were going to see this through. "You didn't think I was done with you, did you," she teased. "I don't even have your pants off, baby." Echoing the words of their first night together, she whispered in his ear, "I want to please you. I have to know what pleases you. _Now stay put_."

Natalie hopped down and swiftly stripped him of the last of his clothing. Then she started to work her way upward from his ankles, relentlessly using her hands and mouth on his legs, lingering on the sensitive skin of his inner thigh.

Adrian's entire body was on fire. He had always maintained control in the bedroom. He knew it was a defense mechanism, the need to take control, but he could deny Natalie nothing. Floating on air and drowning in honey, she had called it. He felt like a drowning man, because his heart just continued to race and he couldn't catch his breath at all. He raised his head as he watched Natalie take him into her mouth, and his head fell back as he groaned. She had done this before, of course, but it had never been preceded by total passivity on his part. The pleasure was so intense he thought it was going to kill him. His control was starting to unravel- he wanted to pull Natalie upwards, cover her body with his own, and hold her down the way she had held him down...he was so aroused that his usual inhibitions were gone and he just wanted to..._fuck her until she couldn't walk straight!_

Women are sexually superior beings, and so Natalie knew that he couldn't take as much of this as she could. Not to mention she was fully aroused now herself. So she finally climbed atop of him and guided him inside of her.

Both of them gasped loudly, and then Adrian sat up and pulled Natalie close to him as she started to slowly rock her hips against his. It was maddeningly slow and finally he had to beg her. "Harder!"

By this time, Natalie was starting to unravel as well, so she immediately started to press harder, faster. She knew they couldn't last long..that he couldn't last long. She felt his hands move down to her hips and pull her more tightly to him. So it came of no surprise when his moans turned into frantic, yet apologetic whispers.

"Natalie...baby, I have to," he rasped, "I can't hold it back anymore."

"Baby...I'm waiting for you." She locked her gaze with his and whispered, "_Now_!"

That was all it took as both of them finally exploded together, both of them almost delirious as their entire bodies shook with the ferocity of their climax.

For a long time, neither of them moved. Or spoke.

Finally, Adrian whispered, "Oh my God, Natalie..."

Still a little breathless, she asked him, "Did I please you?"

"God, that doesn't even cover it. But I usually..._please you_ more than once."

"Worth it," she muttered.

"Worth it?"

"Was it the same?"

"No," he whispered. "It wasn't. It was both torturous and incredible at the same time. I felt like I was being devoured."

"Mmhm," she agreed. "_Now_ I've made you feel the way you always make me feel."

Adrian embraced her tightly and sighed. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Adrian. See? I told you that you wouldn't hurt me."

"Natalie, you have no idea how close I came to overpowering you...all of my inhibitions snapped and something really vulgar went through my brain."

"Now I have to know what it was."

"Natalie!"

"Adrian! No secrets between us. You have to tell me. And not the PG version, either."

Adrian ducked his head in shame, but finally relented. He leaned into her ear and whispered, "You had me so _insane_ with wanting you, the only thought I had was that I wanted to pin you down and..." he hesitated, but finally took the plunge, "fuck you until you couldn't walk straight!"

Natalie threw her head back and laughed. "Oh _yes_, it was totally worth it."


	18. Chapter 18: On Fire

**Some more filler, but I wanted to have a little time with Randy and Sharona before the wedding chapter. **

Chapter 18: On Fire

The days passed by in a flurry of planning, and yet time felt as though it were dragging for Adrian and Natalie. Adrian had started to pack up his apartment- they had decided that he would move in with Natalie, and then as soon as they returned from their honeymoon, they would begin house hunting. Peggy fussed with her daughter during the day over small details, but she had managed to remain true to her word. Natalie was touched at the effort that her mother was making to give her the wedding that she wanted. Her mother had forced herself into a different mindset, that of elegance, yet simplicity, beyond what she would normally consider.

Two days before the wedding, Randy and Sharona Disher had made their flight into San Francisco. Adrian and Natalie were coming to pick them up from the airport. Randy was a bit irritable as he went through the general annoyance of dealing with the luggage check. "I'm not scared of flying," he muttered to his wife, "but it's a big enough pain in the ass that I have a better understanding of why Monk hates it so much."

"For God's sake, Randy, it was just from Newark to San Francisco! We haven't seen our friends in over three years."

"You're right. Besides, I wouldn't miss this for all...my God, Sharona! Is that _Adrian Monk_?"

"Oh my God, Randy! Look at him!" Sharona clapped her hands.

For he was walking towards them, with Natalie Teeger's hand intertwined with his own. She knew that Monk had changed since solving Trudy's murder, but this went beyond anything she ever expected. It wasn't just the color and cut of his clothing...it was in the set of his shoulders, the confidence in his stride, a suntan that heightened his naturally swarthy complexion. Then Sharona saw the glint in Adrian's eyes as he glanced at his fiancée. and Natalie beamed at him in return. Her former boss was..._really sexy_!

Sharona started to quickly walk over to them, leaving Randy to trail behind her. "Adrian! Look at you!" She hugged him fondly.

Randy caught up with them, "It's great to see both of you! I've never been so happy to lose a bet in my life."

Adrian shook his head as they walked away together. "Natalie, I'm never going to live down being the last person to figure it out."

Leland had finally cajoled TK into hiring a sitter as the three couples sat in an elegant restaurant, celebrating Adrian and Natalie's upcoming wedding. The proud parents passed around their phones, showing off pictures of their new little angel.

Sharona swiped through all the pictures, admiring all of them. "Leland, I have a feeling she's going to have Daddy wrapped around her little finger."

"_Going_ to be?" TK Stottlemeyer smiled affectionately at her husband. "Sometimes he wanders around the living room with Amanda in his arms, dancing to a tune only he can hear."

When Sharona had visited four years ago, she and Natalie had butted heads, but once the dust settled, the streetwise Sharona knew that Natalie harbored tender feelings for Adrian Monk. After Trudy's murder was solved and Randy left San Francisco, the two of them had had a running bet that Monk would eventually come to his senses. Randy thought Natalie was wild about the Navy doctor, but Sharona knew better. You didn't stay with a man like Adrian Monk all those years without being affected by him. Either you came to love him like a family member, or in Natalie's case, you fell in love with him. His rampant OCD and phobias made it impossible for one to put up with him otherwise.

As she was looking at all the pictures, she came across one that absolutely arrested her attention. It was Natalie holding little Amanda with Adrian standing over her shoulder. But Adrian wasn't looking down at Amanda. He was looking at Natalie. Natalie beamed as she looked down at their new goddaughter, but Adrian's gaze was locked on Natalie. He looked as though he was ready to bury his face in Natalie's hair. It was a faint, but deeply intimate, almost sensual smile and it just took Sharona's breath away. "This one is beautiful, Randy. Look at Natalie and Adrian with the baby!"

Natalie piped up, "Let me see! I know there were pictures, but I haven't seen them yet."

Sharona handed Leland's phone over to Natalie and when she saw the picture, she felt her heart stop. "I want this one sent to me, Leland," she breathed. She looked over at Adrian, who by this time had glanced at the picture and melted as he saw the expression on Natalie's face. He blushed slightly, though. It was just such an unguarded expression of love and passion.

His eyes drifted to Natalie's and her breath caught before she could stop herself. Their connection was almost telepathic, as she felt that surge of attraction to him.

Adrian shook himself out of his reverie and smiled at TK and Leland. "I didn't know you had taken pictures of us with the baby."

"God, Adrian," Sharona rolled her eyes. "TK's a brand new mom- all you do is take pictures of your first born."

The three women laughed because Randy and Adrian were fairly clueless of this universal fact.

"Well, I know Natalie's going to find this annoying," interjected Randy. "But I, for one, am looking forward to seeing the famed Davenport Estate."

"Same old Randy. Don't get too excited. It's going to be a very small, simple wedding. I have marveled at the self-control my mother has shown in keeping it within our comfort zone and not doing things the Peggy Davenport way."

"I'm sure the grounds are beautiful," smiled Sharona. "So it's going to make for a beautiful setting for your wedding. Although..." She smiled slyly at Monk. "I think Adrian would marry you in a landfill." Sharona started to laugh when Monk cringed.

Natalie looked over at Adrian lovingly, and she surreptitiously slid her hand along his knee underneath the table. "One of the times he saved my life was when he got out of his sickbed and came to the garbage dump in his pajamas and bathrobe because he knew that I was in danger."

Monk swiveled his neck, in that all-too familiar way of his. "Of all of the adventures I've had with these two ladies, can we leave out the ones involving garbage trucks, garbage strikes, landfills, and for the love of all that's holy, Sharona, _don't_ bring up the sewer!"

Natalie and Sharona's eyes met across the table and they started laughing merrily. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

"Well, my personal favorite is the one where you chased down the airplane, Monk," chimed in Randy.

Natalie kissed Adrian softly on the cheek. "That's Julie's favorite, too. She told me recently that when she got married, she wanted a man who wasn't afraid to stand in front of the airplane. Now I finally have the man who actually did." Adrian leaned softly against her forehead.

Hidden under the table, Natalie took her finger and traced it on the top of Adrian's knee. After a few seconds, his head perked up and he looked at her. He realized that she had sent him a message. "TAKE ME HOME."

All of the entreaties from Randy and Sharona couldn't keep them there. "One minute they're here, and the next they're in a hurry to leave. You would've thought Adrian had forgotten to turn off the stove."

"That's not it, Sharona," replied Leland.

"What do you think it was?"

"I'm not Monk, but I know what it was. Julie's coming home tomorrow, and then Natalie and Julie are driving to the Davenport's to spend the night. I don't think they've been separated for more than a few hours in the last six weeks, and well...they'll be sleeping apart the night before the wedding."

Randy's jaw dropped. "You mean they've been living together?"

"Pretty much, Randy. Natalie's been staying at his place since the day before Amanda was born."

Sharona shook her head in disbelief, and then relented with a smile. "It does explain a lot. The way Adrian was looking at her in that picture with the baby, and just all of the changes in him, even the way he walks. You said Adrian told her he loved her, Leland. They're not in love...they're _on fire_. He's happy at last."

Leland raised his glass, "I'll drink to that!"


	19. Chapter 19: The Natural Order of Things

**It's a short chapter, but the next one will be the wedding. A time of endings and beginnings, for both Adrian and Natalie.**

Chapter 19: The Natural Order of Things

It had been awhile, but the sight was all too familiar. Adrian Monk stood at the cemetery, at his late wife's grave.

If one had been able to listen, they would have heard his soft, heartfelt monologue.

"Trudy, years ago, you told me it was time to say goodbye, and time to move forward. I know that you're always watching me, and so you know I'm moving forward. I never thanked you for sending Natalie to me, Trudy. I know now you never wanted me to be alone, and I know you're probably exasperated at me because I was too stubborn to see the miracle before me. I'm getting married tomorrow, and I am excited for my life to begin again. I'll always love you, Trudy, but Leland was right. The best way for me to honor your memory is to love again."

A soft bass drawled behind him. "Taking my name in vain, Monk?"

Adrian jumped slightly. "Leland," he said, turning around to face him. "How did you know I would be here?"

"_I_ didn't. But I probably should have. Natalie said I might find you here. When you weren't at home, I called her and she was already heading out to meet up with Julie at her parents'."

"It was time to really say goodbye. I loved her, Leland."

"I know, buddy." They both started to walk away from the gravesite.

"Occasionally, there's a tiny part of me that feels guilty, though. My life with Natalie is just so...encompassing. My heart is just full of love for her, Leland." Adrian's face started to burn as he lowered his voice. "Natalie's different from Trudy, she's more..._intense_, and I am just overwhelmed..."

Stottlemeyer's brow started to clear as he realized exactly what his friend was trying to say.

"...by my...passion for her." This was a hard subject for Adrian, even with Leland, but he had to just spit it out. "I don't want Trudy to think..."

"That you didn't love her? No person on the planet thinks that, including Natalie. She knew you would be here, and she understands why. As for giving your heart to Natalie, and the way you feel when you're...alone together, it's only right that you feel that way, Monk. Do you think Trudy would want to see you in a marriage where you felt torn between love for your new wife and her memory?"

"No, of course not. But.."

"No buts, Monk. Do you realize that Natalie has been at your side for over eight years? You'll always love Trudy, Monk. But as your marriage grows and deepens, you'll inevitably feel closer to Natalie. Especially if you wind up having a baby together. I had two children with Karen, and I love my boys, but it just didn't compare to seeing TK carrying my child and then holding our daughter in her arms for the first time. I know that our situations are different. But it's okay for you to love Natalie that much, Monk. It's okay for Natalie to take precedence over Trudy as well." Stottlemeyer paused for a moment, not wishing to be coarse, especially here. "And trust me, Monk. It's okay that you feel this way about Natalie when you're...together. She's going to be your wife now, and it's only the natural order of things."

Adrian looked up at Leland and nodded. "I love Natalie so much, and I feel like she's my partner in a way that no one ever has been. I think I just needed to hear someone tell me it's okay to feel that way."

"You _are_ partners in every way, because you've shared the work all these years; you and Trudy had different career paths. Monk, I think Trudy would tell you that it's okay."

"Thank you, Leland."

Stottlemeyer laughed as he put a hand on Monk's shoulder. "Hey, what is the best man for, Monk? Besides gripping the wedding ring so tightly you can barely pry it out of their hands?"

"Speaking of which, where is the ring, Leland?"

"It's fine, Monk. I assure you, it's in my safe keeping."

"Show it to me..."

"Monk, you're just going to have to trust me on this one..."

Their good-natured argument continued as they walked away from the cemetery.

* * *

In an elaborate bedroom that looked as though it hadn't been touched in over 20 years, piles of stuffed animals laid on the floor. Natalie laid on the bed, wide awake. She missed Adrian- she knew she wasn't going to sleep well without him, but it was more than that. She knew that even if she were lying in his arms, she wouldn't be able to sleep. She just couldn't contain her excitement- tomorrow she was getting married! The last few weeks marked both an end and a beginning. It was the beginning of what she was certain was the right thing for her heart, because it was the end of withholding her love back for the most important man in her life. She felt years younger because the burden had been lifted off her shoulders, and she hadn't realized how heavy it was until she stopped having to carry it.

She rolled over and idly checked her phone, and then the time automatically rolled over to 2:00 am. She jumped, and then smiled as it started to ring in her hands.

"You still like nice, round numbers, Mr. Monk."

"And you're still awake."

"So are you, Adrian."

She heard him sigh on the phone, "I slept alone for so long that I didn't remember what it was like not to...and now I just find it harder to sleep without you here with me. I can smell you on our sheets."

"I miss you, too. But there's another reason I can't sleep."

"What's that?"

"I'm just beside myself with excitement! What are you thinking about?"

"Oh, that's easy," he tossed out casually. "You. Here."

Natalie giggled, "You are so very wicked, Mr. Monk."

"I love you, Natalie."

"I love you, too. I forgot something, though."

"What did you forget?"

"I forgot to thank you. When all of this started, you gave me one of your pet phrases- you'll thank me later."

"Natalie?"

"Hmm, baby?"

"I have to thank you...for rescuing me, in more ways than one. I think I would be marrying you even if you walked down the aisle with a pillow underneath your dress."

Natalie laughed. "You rescued me, too. Don't ever forget that, Adrian Monk."


	20. Chapter 20: It's About Time

Chapter 20: It's About Time

In Bobby and Peggy Davenport's elegant bedroom suite, it was strictly a girls' club gathering as the women made their preparations for the wedding. They all talked and laughed as they made themselves beautiful for what had turned out to be a warm, sunny day. Perfect weather for an outdoor wedding.

Sharona Disher knocked and was allowed entry, and flopped into an armchair, exhausted. "Oh my God...I thought he was relapsing, Natalie. Randy said he straightened _his_ tie, _and_ Leland's tie, _and his own tie_ a dozen times. When I found him, he was outside meticulously measuring the space between the chairs and ensuring they were all straight and even. I finally got him to come back inside with Randy and Leland, but I have no idea how long it will last."

"That's the Mr. Monk we all know and love," chimed in Julie.

Natalie peered in the mirror, applying her makeup. "I have no idea what comes next. I mean...I know we're getting married. When we come back from our honeymoon, we're going house hunting. But I can't pry our honeymoon destination out of Adrian with a crowbar."

"I'm sure it will be great, Mom." Julie's eyes sparkled mischievously. "The last time he took her somewhere, it was the most beautiful bed-and-breakfast in Berkeley."

Sharona and TK looked at each other and said, "Ooooh..."

Peggy Davenport was shocked, "Julie, you knew about that?"

"Um, yeah Grandma. I tried to call Mom and her phone just kept ringing, so I tracked it and found out where she was. Mr. Monk tried to play it off, but I told him that I believed him as much as I believed him about adult Tic-Tacs."

Natalie and Julie started laughing hysterically. "I should be mad at you for that, but that was a priceless comeback, Julie!"

"Adult Tic-Tacs?" Sharona looked at them in confusion. "What am I missing?"

"Well, the first time I met Adrian, he was investigating a burglary in my home. Then he actually brought up the birth control pills in my purse in front of Julie- who was just a little girl at the time."

"Not that little," muttered Julie.

"Little enough that you didn't need to know about them! Anyway, Adrian tried to cover for me, and called them adult Tic-Tacs."

TK and Sharona fell over laughing. "That's Adrian for you, Natalie. He used to be one for opening his mouth and thinking later," replied Sharona. "I'll never forget how mad at him I was for telling me to 'suck it up' when I told him I was deathly afraid of elephants."

Natalie shook her head, "He had the nerve to say that?"

Sharona raised her hand solemnly, "Swear to God!"

A knock came at the door. You could hear Randy's voice in the hallway. "Sharona!"

Sharona opened the door a crack, "What is it, Randy?"

"Monk is starting to count the petals on the flowers. It's just a matter of time until he starts tossing the ones that aren't even."

Natalie smiled because she knew Adrian was just nervous and excited.

With everyone finally ready, Natalie announced, "Everyone clear out and take their places. Julie, go find Grandpa."

Outside, Leland and Adrian were waiting for the festivities to begin.

"Monk, I swear to God, if you don't stop pacing, I'm going to handcuff you to a chair until the music starts."

"I know, Leland, I know...I can't help it!"

"You're only nervous. Here comes Randy and Sharona. And yes, your tie is straight!"

Adrian swallowed as he watched Randy and Sharona take their seats. Standing in their places next to the minister, Leland watched Adrian hold his hands behind his back, in an attempt to hide his nervousness."

Then the soft music began and Adrian stood transfixed as Julie came walking towards him. His heart swelled as he remembered the little girl he had met along with her beautiful mother. She was followed by TK, and both were wearing elegant, sleeveless gowns in a lovely shade of teal. Adrian briefly glanced over at Leland who wore a broad smile as he gazed at his own wife walking towards him. He was likely remembering his own wedding day. But Adrian didn't ponder this for long, because he wanted to savor what came next.

Natalie.

On the arm of her father, and her blue eyes looked up and met Adrian's brown ones. The sight of her made it all go away. No more thoughts of flower petals, or space between chairs, but just the woman who seemed to float towards him on her father's arm. She was radiant in a flowing gown of ivory- delicately embroidered and sheer three-quarter sleeves. His eyes never left hers as she walked towards him and finally, she was standing before him. Bobby Davenport shook Adrian's hand and then he kissed Natalie on the cheek as he took his daughter's hand and placed it in Adrian's own.

Time stopped for a few seconds as they gazed at each other, eyes brimming with emotion. Then the minister began...

The words were a blur as the minister spoke until it was time for Natalie and Adrian to exchange vows.

"Natalie, you have been at my side all of these years. We have already been through better and worse, you have seen me through sickness and health, and you even stayed at my side at a time when I was certainly poorer. You have been my light and my lifeline and have always believed in me. My heart is full of joy because you have chosen me, and I promise to be your devoted husband- to always love, protect, and honor you with everything I have to give, and be faithful only unto you, as long as we both shall live."

"Adrian, from the moment I met you, somehow I knew that you would change my life forever. You have always come to my rescue, and I am overwhelmed with happiness to become your wife. I have cherished every adventure I have experienced at your side, and as far as I'm concerned, the past eight years were only the beginning. I will always be with you, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. Loving you is my greatest joy, Adrian. I promise to be your devoted wife, and I will love, honor, and cherish you with everything I have to give, and be faithful only unto you, as long as we both shall live."

Natalie and Adrian turned around at the sound of a stifled sob, thinking it might be Natalie's mother. But all they saw was Sharona Disher trying not to laugh as she silently handed Randy a tissue.

Leland handed Adrian the ring, and his eyes started to tear up as he presented it to Natalie. "Look inside," he whispered. Natalie saw the word "Forever" engraved inside of the band. Adrian's eyes never left hers as he repeated after the minister, and slipped the ring on her finger. Then he smiled at her and said, "A perfect ten."

Natalie giggled through misty eyes and then presented the ring she had chosen for her husband. Remembering the necklace he had bought for her, she had chosen a white gold band, engraved all around with the infinity symbol. Holding it in front of Adrian, she smiled and whispered, "Look inside." Adrian held back tears of happiness as he read, "You are my everything." Locking eyes with him, she also repeated after the minister and placed it on his finger.

Natalie and Adrian stood at the altar with both hands joined, as the minister said the words everyone had been waiting to hear. "By the power vested in me by God and the State of California, I now pronounce you man and wife." He looked at Adrian and said, "You may kiss the bride."

To Natalie's delighted surprise, Adrian simply said, "It's about time!" Then he pulled her swiftly to him, slightly lifted her off her feet, and kissed her passionately as everyone stood up and applauded.

**Not the end yet- there's two more chapters, I think! Sorry, I had to have just a tiny bit of fun at Randy's expense. It wouldn't be Monk if you didn't get to snicker a little at Randy.**


	21. Chapter 21: To Adrian and Natalie

Chapter 21: To Adrian and Natalie

"Are you happy?" Their foreheads were nearly touching as they slowly moved together on the dance floor.

"I'll be even happier when you tell me where we're going for our honeymoon."

Adrian gave her an impish smile and shook his head. "Not a chance. It's not a surprise if I tell you. To change the subject, have I told you how beautiful you look?"

"Not today you haven't. But while we're on the subject, I want to tell you how handsome you look. When I saw you waiting for me, I wanted to run down the aisle to you."

"I nearly ran upstairs to grab you myself."

"Adrian," she chided, "did you really straighten your tie 27 times?"

"I had to do something during the torturous wait. You are beautiful, and you are mine."

"I have news for you, Mr. Monk. I've been yours for a long time,"

Time ticked by as they moved together. Adrian held her closer, and started absently humming along with the music. They were caught up in their own little world and then the inevitable tap came on Adrian's shoulder. It was Bobby Davenport. Adrian smiled at his wife, and handed her off to her father. His eyes circled around the room until they fell on Peggy Davenport.

He strode across the room and smiled as he held out his arm. "Mrs. Davenport."

"Peggy," she corrected, and she joined him on the dance floor.

"I remember the day I married Natalie's father, Adrian. I was happy to be marrying him. We liked each other very much. But the love didn't come until later. We were fortunate that it happened that way, because there are a lot of miserable marriages among my friends and acquaintances. I envy Natalie, because I could not have made a better choice for her. The simple explanation for that is that in spite of the shy smile Bobby had for me on our wedding day, the truth remains that he didn't look at me the way you looked at Natalie."

"I don't know what to say, Peggy...except to thank you. Natalie may not have said as much, but I know that this wedding- the fact that you planned it for us, it means a great deal to her." Adrian lowered his voice. "I can tell you from experience that we always yearn for our parents to approve of us. Do me a favor, Peggy. Tell her."

Peggy merely nodded at Monk. Then the dance ended.

The reception went on and the small, intimate gathering was the comfortable and happy atmosphere that Natalie wanted and Monk needed. Everyone was laughing, dancing, and genuinely enjoying each other's company. Particularly the newlyweds. They hardly spent a moment away from each other, laughing and exchanging kisses.

But another father/daughter dance took place as well. Adrian delighted in leading his new stepdaughter to the dance floor.

Smiling at Julie, he asked her, "So, are you still Team Monk?"

"More than ever! I always felt like you were a dad to me." Julie still had a carefree, girlish laugh. "When I was younger, I used to wish that you and my mom would fall in love and we could be a family."

Adrian swallowed back tears, overwhelmed by such a candid confession. "Oh, Julie. I'm"

Julie shook her head emphatically. "No, don't feel sad. Everything happens when it's supposed to happen. Didn't you tell me to be patient and wait?"

"Yes, I guess I did. And...we're a family now."

"We always were, but now things are just a lot more conventional,". Then she added, "Adrian."

Adrian squeezed her tighter and whispered in her ear, "I love you, Julie."

Bobby Davenport rounded everyone up, everyone wanted to make their own tribute to the bride and groom.

"As father of the bride, I will start! To Adrian and Natalie. I'm thrilled that my daughter has found such a good man, and I know that he will always take care of my girls."

Cheers and applause abounded as everyone took their turn.

Adrian's former partner Joe Christie stood up. "To Adrian and Natalie. My heartfelt thanks are to both of you. To Adrian, for saving my life when you saved my career. And to you, Natalie. Even though I don't know you very well, it's obvious that you saved my friend- the greatest homicide detective in California, and probably beyond."

Then it was Randy's turn. "To the bride and groom. Natalie, you've been a great friend all these years, and you have some pretty sharp instincts out in the field yourself."

"That's only because I learned from the master," Natalie shot back.

"And to you, Monk. You've brought me out of a lot of scrapes, and most of all, I met Sharona because of you. If anyone deserves happiness, it's both of you."

Julie stood up and threw out that sunny smile that resembled Natalie's so much. "To my parents." At this, Natalie smiled at what her daughter had just said and she just hugged Adrian even harder as they stood next to each other. "They have always been a great example for me. Mom, because she is independent and smart; she has always been there for me. And my new stepdad, because he was always kind and loving towards me, and he's the bravest man I know."

Leland finally stood up. "To Adrian and Natalie, two of the dearest people in the world to me. Natalie, you're the most patient person on the planet. Eight years and you _still_ decided you wanted the position permanently. Monk, you're just a lucky devil. You're a brilliant detective, one of the greatest to ever wear a badge. Best of all, you're now a happy man. Both of you are happy- most of us were just wondering when in the hell you two were going to figure out that you could only be at your happiest together. You both deserve it."

After all the cheers had abated, Adrian leaned over in his wife's ear. "Okay...that's our cue. I want to take you away from here. Let's start to make our goodbyes."

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

Adrian smiled softly, and cupped her cheek with his hand. "All in due time, beautiful."

Natalie stood in her old bedroom, still wearing her wedding gown. To her surprise, there was a dress waiting for her on the bed. It was royal blue, and had a note attached to it.

"Mrs. Monk,

Wear this. You'll thank me later.

I love you,

Adrian"

Natalie chuckled, mystified by her husband's request. Then there was a knock on her door. She crumpled up the note. "Come in."

It was Peggy. She came in and embraced her daughter.

"What is it, Mom?"

"Well, I was talking to your husband earlier, and there is something I need to say to you. I wanted you to know that I approve, and don't think I could have dreamed up a better choice for you. He loves you."

A tear slid down Natalie's cheek and she hugged her mom tightly. "Thank you, Mom! You've made me so happy with this wedding, I can't even begin to thank you enough."

Peggy looked down on the bed. "What a lovely dress."

"Um, yeah. Adrian left it for me here. He wants me to wear it...wherever it is he's taking me." She rolled her eyes at her husband's insistence on secrecy.

"I only have one question, dear."

"What's that, Mom?" Natalie absently fingered the dress on her bed.

"How can you stand it?"

"Stand what?"

Peggy looked around, even though she knew they were alone. "The way he looks at you. I love your father, but if he looked at me that way, I'm sure I would absolutely burst into flames."

Natalie blushed. "My husband is a man of many talents, Mom."

"_Natalie Jane!_"

"You asked. There's your answer. Are you really that shocked?"

"After that business in Berkeley and this light speed wedding, I suppose I'm not." Peggy's eyes narrowed. "Is there something I need to know about?"

Natalie sighed, "No, Mom. Nothing like that. Not yet, anyway. But we are going to try."

"I think that would be wonderful. I'll leave you to finish getting dressed."


	22. Chapter 22: Possession

**And so we come to an end to this story. I have a sequel in mind, but I tend to be a very spontaneous writer. When I began Impulsivity, I had a completely different idea in my mind for the way Albright both discovered and reacted to Adrian and Natalie. But I changed my mind as the momentum built up between the couple. I really had no clue that I could do that, because my writing tends to be very dialog-driven.**

**The name of the story stems from the fact that Monk is generally not an impulsive sort. The tension within him burst forth and when he finally did act on impulse, it resulted in happiness for both himself and Natalie. Post-The End, and freed of most of his phobias, Monk was willing to take some risks. He still has things about him that make him our familiar, lovable Monk- but Natalie brings him out of his shell, even more than Trudy did. This is because of the fact that she could deal with him at his worst. He's a man reborn in his love for Natalie, and he wants nothing to stand in the way of their happiness. The knowledge that this beautiful, thoroughly modern woman has been head-over-heels in love with him has brought out something in him beyond what he knew he already possessed.**

Wedding night chapter...this one is not for the faint of heart. Squeamish? Don't read past the break and scroll down...

Chapter 22: Possession

It was an enthusiastic Adrian and Natalie Monk that took their leave from their friends and family to go on their honeymoon. No fancy limousine took them away, because Monk had left his plans shrouded in secrecy.

That didn't stop his new wife from pouncing on him the moment they left.

"_Now_ are you going to tell us where we're going?"

"Not our final destination, not yet."

"Final destination? Adrian, does that mean we are going somewhere else first?"

"I'll make a detective of you yet," he teased.

"Very funny. I haven't packed anything outside of personal items."

"Already taken care of, Natalie. What you didn't have, I went and purchased. Speaking of which, do you like the dress?"

"Very much so. It fits perfectly."

"Yeah, I bought a couple of them."

"What? Adrian, why did you buy me more than one of something?"

"Natalie, after all the years I spent purchasing the same shirt, in the same style, in the same color, that was inspected by the same person, you're going to ask why I bought two of something for you?"

"You have a point. But then again, you haven't done that in quite some time."

"Again with the detective work."

"Adrian, really- can you at least tell me where we're going first?"

"Okay," he relented. "For our wedding night, we are going back to Berkeley...to the bed-and-breakfast."

Natalie's eyes lit up. "That _is_ a special place for us."

Adrian lightly stroked Natalie's palm. "That's not the only reason."

"Okay, husband of mine- what's the other reason?"

"The other reason is simple. My beautiful wife spent last night out of my arms, out of my bed, for tradition's sake. I prefer not to wait for our destination."

"Then we had better talk about something else on the way," sighed Natalie. "Just the _thought_ of what you just said..."

Adrian briefly cut his eyes over to his wife. "My sentiments exactly. We could talk about the weather. I think it's going to rain."

"But the weather was really beautiful for the wedding. What did you and my mother discuss on the dance floor? She was strangely sentimental before we left..." The newlyweds kept things on a calmer topic as they headed towards their destination.

True to Adrian's prediction, it was raining by the time they reached the bed-and-breakfast. Natalie waited in the car while he swiftly took care of the check-in. By the time he ran out to the car, he was a bit on the damp side.

After he brought the car around to the cottage, Adrian turned and looked at his wife, taking both of her hands in his. "Do you trust me?"

Natalie smiled at him. "Of course I do. You're the most trustworthy, honorable man I know. That's one of the reasons I fell in love with you."

The rain outside pattered against the windows as Adrian raised his hand and stroked Natalie's cheek. "I have a confession to make, then."

"What is it, honey?"

"These weeks, with you...I am overwhelmed by the passion I feel for you, Natalie. You told me you don't want me to rein it in, and you don't want me to hold back. So I want you to tell me if I scare you or even come close to hurting you."

"Adrian, I could never be frightened of you, and I'm not going to break. Don't ever hold back for me. I love you- I want all of you, just as I want to give all of myself to you."

"I was hoping you felt that way." He kissed her softly. "Let's go."

* * *

**This part is really intense...get out of the kitchen if you can't take the heat!**

It was like the night of Julie's performance as Adrian swept Natalie in his arms and carried her over the threshold of the beautiful little cottage, but the sexual tension was so intense, you could almost hear it thrum between them. Since that night, they had faced down Natalie's parents and dealt with the fallout of Albright discovering the truth in a way Natalie had not foreseen. Now they were that much closer, and the reality of their marriage just heightened their desire for each other.

Since that day in the park, and particularly since the day Adrian came home to Natalie's aggressive advances towards him, the wheels in his brilliant mind had been turning. He had planned a honeymoon he wanted to ensure his wife never forgot.

She was laughing as he carried her in out of the rain and set her down. "What about our bags?"

"To hell with the bags...I'll get them later." His eyes were dark, possessive as he drank in the sight of her. Her damp hair and skin was even more enticing to him as he approached her.

The way Adrian looked at her drove away any thoughts of being chilled from the rain. In fact, Natalie felt suddenly warm, and she was almost sure her husband could hear her heart hammering in her chest.

"I'll tell you a secret. There's a reason I bought two of those dresses."

His voice grew lower, even heavier with desire as he drew closer to her. "I wanted to do something that I've never done before in my life." Adrian took Natalie's face in his hands and began to kiss her, a slow sensual kiss that made her begin to tremble. She began to deepen the kiss, but he drew away from her and still had that dark, possessive look in his eyes. "I told you that day in the park, that you had _no idea_ what you were doing to me," he whispered.

Then with a sudden motion that stole her breath, he brought both of his hands up to the neckline of her dress and swiftly tore it down the center and pushed it off her body. Before Natalie had time to process what he had just done, he picked her up and carried her over to the bed. She hurriedly helped him remove his own damp clothing and it was tossed on the floor without a second thought.

Natalie's body started to spasm as Adrian pressed her down into the mattress, nearly crushing her, when he started to kiss her on her neck, moving gradually downward. Raising her back slightly, he swiftly unfastened her bra, looking into her eyes as he slipped the straps off her shoulders. She could barely breathe as she gasped his name, "Adrian...I love...you...so much." Her head fell back as he closed his lips around one of her nipples. Natalie's hands were busy, trying to touch him everywhere she could reach. She gripped the muscles in his back and then another jolt of arousal made her arch her back. "Oh God!"

He brought his lips back up to hers, and met them hungrily, firmly sliding his hand down her cheek to her throat. Adrian whispered to her, and it was almost unintelligible. "I brought you here because I couldn't wait any longer. I've been making love to you for weeks, and all day, I've just been desperate to make love to my wife. My Natalie..." He reached down and slid off her panties, and she impatiently flicked them away with her foot.

Natalie raised her head and pulled his head down, moaning when she felt his tongue against hers- she was so aroused that she couldn't stand it. She had to have him. He had to have her as well, and Adrian gasped as Natalie grabbed his hips, urging him quickly as he drove into her. They could go more slowly later. Natalie felt a wild thrill because her husband had never been so deliciously rough with her. She couldn't help it...as her first orgasm slammed into her, she dug her nails into Adrian's back. He swept her hair back from her forehead and whispered, "Look at me, Natalie." She met those dark eyes she had always found unfathomably sexy...she had always thought he had bedroom eyes, and now they were boring into hers. He was demanding, insistent. "Look at me while I make love to you." It proved to be too much...the dark and exciting way he had undressed her and began to possess her, their love for each other, the frenetic pace they maintained, the eye contact, and it sent their libido spiraling into hyperdrive. Her second climax swept through her, and she slammed her hips upwards, grinding into his.

Adrian lost all control as he felt her tighten repeatedly around him, crying his name as the intensity shook her entire body. As Natalie's hips slammed into his, he groaned incoherently, tumbling off the edge just behind her, and both of them couldn't keep quiet, even if they had wanted to.

It was Natalie who spoke first, her breathing still labored. "Oh my God, Adrian." Her body was still slightly trembling.

He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her. "Are you alright?"

"Do you really have to ask? That was the hottest thing that's ever happened to me. I don't know when I'm going to stop thinking about it."

Adrian sighed against her neck, "It was all I could do to wait until tonight to take you this way. I've been thinking about it for weeks. At first I was afraid I would frighten you."

"Frighten me, Adrian?" She put her finger under his chin and made him look at her. "No way...your desires are mine. Women are rarely forthcoming about what it is they _really_ want- and then they wonder why they're not satisfied. Which is why I'm grateful to be your wife- that you anticipate so many of my needs. I love you, Adrian."

Smiling down at Natalie, he replied, "I love you. I know you're dying to know where I'm taking you."

"Are you finally going to tell me?"

"Here's the thing- I have found a beautiful place for us to stay. A beach house, actually. It has a manicured lawn, and some rather large trees. It's going to be a lot warmer there than it is here...we can just spread out a couple of blankets underneath one of those trees."

Natalie smiled at her husband. "So, we're going to finish the 'under the tree' scenario?"

"_Exactly_. We are going to be very secluded. Nothing but the two of us for two weeks." Adrian tightened his hold on his wife. "Natalie, I want to make memories with you that you'll never forget."

"Adrian, definitely yes to the beach house. But you should know- we've spent all these years making memories and moving towards this day."

Adrian couldn't agree more. "Natalie, the adventure has just begun."

* * *

Not too long after the wedding...

A man in a suit removed a file from his briefcase. "I thought you would be interested in these."

There were pictures of a man and woman, walking along the beach together as they held hands. One was a shot of them sharing a kiss in a parking lot. Another was taken in a park, as the couple sat beneath a tree in each other's arms. Finally, the man handed over a newspaper article. It was not oversized, but the header said, "_Davenport Heiress Weds Famous Detective_" and there was a picture of a smiling Adrian and Natalie Monk.

They were in a prison cell, and nothing was particularly out of the ordinary, except for its enormous size. A huge, meaty fist crumpled the newspaper as the lawyer looked at the grotesque visage of Dale Biederbeck. His voice was enraged as he spat, "So, Adrian Monk decided he was eager for the charms of the lovely Ms. Teeger. Life is lovely for the defective detective while I _rot in this hole_!" Biederbeck glared at his lawyer. "Monk finally has an Achilles Heel, and I _finally_ know where to strike!"

The End...for now

**Don't hate me for the cliffhanger ending! Dale was pretty satisfied, too satisfied that Monk was in his own self-imposed hell. Monk free from those demons means a very angry Dale the Whale. Besides, wouldn't you like to see Biederbeck dealt with once and for all?**


End file.
